Everything Has Changed
by KBHP
Summary: AU. Elena and Damon are college students going through the motions of life. When the two meet a fierce friendship forms between them. It seems that they are made for each other but there is only one problem: Damon's long-time girlfriend Andie Starr. Despite that they continue to be just friends. But what will they do when it seems that being just friends just isn't enough anymore?
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, beautiful readers! I am back in action with a brand new story. Its called Everything Has Changed. I got the title from the Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran song by the same name. I thought it kind of fit with the song so boom title baby. Lol. While I write this I shall be developing WMF2. So by the time this story ends I shall be ready to post it. Be patient, my darlings. It'll be totes worth it. :) Anywhosies, I hope you like the first chapter. The story will be pure Damon and Elena in every single chapter with some cameos here and there but you will not be cheated on the Delena action at all. Enjoy! Peace, love, and review! :-)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own The Vampire Diaries or the song Everything Has Changed just the plot in which this story revolves. I do, however, wish I owned Ian Somerhalder and Ed Sheeran. Dream big. :)**

* * *

Elena Gilbert is not having a good day. The first week of school is always the worse for her. It always makes her anxious. She hates trying to remember where all of her classes are, the awkwardness of not knowing anyone, trying to figure out if her professors are going to be hardass or laidback. The first week is always overwhelming and annoying and she had no patience for it. Even after 2 years she still wasn't use to the hustle and bustle. But it was one day. One bad day and she wouldn't let the first day of her junior year be defined by just one day. She was going to do well this year. She was going to have fun. She adjusts her black framed glasses on her face as the professor walks into the room. His hair swept to one side from, she assumed, walking fast through campus to get to them.

"Good afternoon, all. For those of you who don't know me I am Professor Shane and I will be your instructor for Theater Writing 101." Elena smiled. She liked Professor Shane. She had him three times before. He was laid back, engaging, and slightly quirky but also kind. He was a stern graded but always gave great feedback. He wanted his students to do the best they could. He was a great professor and she was happy she could learn from him again.

"Ok, I'm going to take roll. This will be the only time I'll take roll for the rest of the semester. You'll be required to sign in from next class on. I'll pass a sheet around at the beginning of each class. If you are late make sure you have your name down on the sheet before we leave for the day." He puts his briefcase on top of the desk/table in front of the classroom. He pulls out a sheet of paper from it and then walks around the desk and leans on the front of it facing the class. "Attendance will be participation points in this class. That grade depends on you. You show up, you get points. You don't show up, you don't get points. It's really that simple. I would love for everyone to come every day because I'm just _that awesome_ that you never ever want to miss my class but it's your responsibility. Got it?" Everyone laughs sporadically nodding their heads. Elena smiles shaking her head as well. She listens halfheartedly as the professor starts to call out names recognizing some and not recognizing others. The writing program at her college was relatively small. After a couple of semesters you just get use to some of the faces. Elena raises her hand when she hears her name.

"Good to see you again, Ms. Gilbert." Professor Shane says and Elena smiles politely. He moves on and she starts to doodle in her notebook making hearts and stars, a few cubes with shadowing. She looks up listlessly and glances around the room. Mostly thinking about getting a taco salad once she leaves. She hadn't eaten lunch yet. Suddenly her eyes lock in on a pair of crystal blue eyes and she feels like someone has dumped cold water down her back. She swallows and looks away.

"Damon Salvatore," Professor Shane calls out and Elena looks back up when the person holding the blue eyes speaks.

"Right here, Professor Shane." He says smiling and what a smile it is. Professor Shane finishes up the roll and starts to pass out the Syllabus but she cannot stop staring. _Damon Salvatore_ was his name. She had never seen him before. She was sure she would have remembered. His hair was jet black and thick covering his head in waves. He made his own wind. She was sure that if he got up and walked around he would be making his own wind. He had an olive complexion no doubt from his Italian roots. With a name like Salvatore she was sure he was authentically so. And those eyes. She would definitely remember those ocean blue orbs. How could a guy be walking around looking like that? It didn't seem fair to her. She swallows thickly and adjusts her glasses again just in time to grab a copy of the syllabus.

"So basically what you are going to be doing in this class is learning the basics about drafting your own theater production. We will be studying some of my favorite productions and at the end of the term you will be handing in your own 20-page one act play for me to read and grade. You will also be sharing the play with your classmates. I have persuaded some of the drama students here to take turns acting out your plays on stage. It will be beneficial for your writing and we always have a lot of fun. I think you will all enjoy it. Now today all I really want to talk about is what you think theater is. Let's define it, break it down, and then we can get started on studying how to create it. Sound good?" Everyone nods their heads, calls out a firm "yes", or just smiles.

"I just have a quick question, prof." She says. Heads turn to look at her curiously and Elena rolls her eyes at the attention. She hated when people stared like they never heard anyone ask a question before. "Will you be giving us a theme for our one act play or will we be able to write about whatever we want?" Elena pushes a strand of her chocolate brown hair behind her ear.

"Good question, Elena. You will definitely be able to pick what your play is about." Professor Shane answers and all eyes are back on him. Well not _all_ eyes. Elena can still feel a set staring at her ear. She looks up from her notebook and is greeted by Damon Salvatore's hypnotic eyes. He smiles at her and she smiles back shyly and then they both turn back to Professor Shane as he starts the lesson.

A half hour later class is dismissed. One thing Elena always loved about the first day of classes was that professors usually let you out early. People start to disperse out of the classroom and Elena puts her notebook away. She slings her bag over her shoulder and starts to head out but before she leaves feels a set of eyes on her once again and she wonders if they are the color of the sky.

* * *

A couple hours later Elena is at the library digging into the largest taco salad in history. She loads her Spork with a healthy amount of the key ingredients and then stuffs it in her mouth humming slightly. She loves food. Food was always good to her. She was currently at her shift at work and she stops chowing down long enough to enter some books from checked out to due into the computer in front of her. She was a student assistant at the college library. A job she had held on to since her freshman year. She could sit at the front desk and do her work with minimal interruptions and when things were slow she could do homework as well. She enjoyed being surrounded by books and people intently studying but most of all she loved working with her roommates and best friends Caroline Forbes and Bonnie Bennett.

"I kind of feel like I should leave you two alone." Caroline says looking both amused and uncomfortable as Elena takes another bite of her salad. Elena laughs and looks at her friend sitting at the computer next to her. They were both at the front desk positioned at the entrance of the library. The place was pretty empty since it was the first week. Only overachievers were scattered about. Elena and Caroline did their best to keep their voice at an acceptable volume. They loved at the front desk because it was where all the action happened. Students checking out books, returning books, needing information on books and such and Caroline's favorite pastime: watching for the good looking boys. Elena did people watching as well but she never flirted or ended up with a date or party invite like Caroline always did.

"I haven't eaten since my bagel this morning. I'm starving. And it's so good." Elena says stretching out her words dramatically.

"I can tell it's good. You are practically having an orgasm." Caroline says and grabs the stack of books they just finished entering as returned. She walks them over to a cart behind them and loads the books on it to be stacked back on the shelves. Elena chuckles and continues her meal.

"So my theater writing class was really cool." Elena says.

"Yeah?" Caroline says sitting back in her chair and spinning it around so she's facing Elena. The front desk was up pretty high from the floor and so their chairs were ones that you could adjust the height. Elena found herself more often than not listlessly spinning on boring days when there wasn't much to do.

"Professor Shane teaches it." Elena says. Caroline groans.

"Oh, God, he's so hot." Caroline says. Elena nods. There's no denying that Professor Shane is good looking. Every girl in her class in every class she had with him so far seemed to hang on his every word. She thought she saw one drooling before during a lecture. She had said the puddle was from her water bottle sweating but Elena never bought the excuse.

"You think everyone's hot, Caroline. Put some ice on it." Bonnie says walking up to them and leaning on the counter. Elena laughs and Caroline nods at Bonnie agreeing unashamed.

"Anyway, our term paper is writing our own original one act play and Professor Shane is getting actors from the drama program to perform them at the end of the semester. You should get some of your friends together and volunteer." Elena continues. Caroline nods her head really liking the idea. Caroline is a drama major and it totally fits with who she is as a person. Elena loved her to death but the girl was drama with a capital "D."

"That would be _so_ fun." Caroline says. Elena nods.

"Just email Shane and let him know you are interested. I'm sure he'll say the more the merrier." Elena takes the last bite of her salad and closes the lid. She was sad and now thinking about what they could get for dinner.

"Your major is so much fun, 'Lena. Yours too, Care." Bonnie says while straightening up various info cards, coupon books, and refrigerator magnets on the desk. "I should have been a writing major. All I do is argue with condescending know-it-alls about literature written by mostly dead people."

"But you love it, Bon. You're going to be a great editor someday." Elena says smiling warmly at her. Bonnie smiles and nods her head agreeing with her childhood friend. Bonnie was an English major and it showed. Her bedroom had been filled with more books than anything else her entire life. She could quote _Wuthering Heights_, sonnets by Shakespeare, and short stories by Edgar Allen Poe by the time they were in middle school. Elena knew she was meant to help create a classic one day.

"And I'm pretty sure you win every argument which makes _you_ the biggest know-it-all there is." Caroline teases and Bonnie pokes her in the arm laughing. Elena laughs too shaking her head. She loved her girls. They were like sisters and she wouldn't trade them for the world. Bonnie walks behind the counter and surveys the books on the cart ready to put them back on the shelves. A student comes up to Elena to check out some books and Elena takes them with a smile. She was really good at this job.

"Whoa. Who is _that_?" Caroline says as someone enters the library. Elena glances up after stacking the books next to her neatly. Her mouth immediately goes dry. Bonnie turns around to look and smiles approvingly.

"Hot," Bonnie says matter-of-factly. Elena is still silent.

"I don't think I've ever seen him before. Have you?" Caroline says and looks away for two seconds to get Elena's answer.

"Um, he's in one of my classes." Elena says trying to keep her voice even. She licks her dry lips while entering the recently checked out books into the system. She needed something to focus on especially since it looked like he might be headed straight for them.

"Jesus, you have to sit in class with him all semester. I'll buy you one of those tiny fans in case you need to cool off." She says. Elena laughs shaking her head. If she were talking about anyone other than Damon Salvatore she'd think Caroline was exaggerating but considering it's him she didn't think it was a bad idea. "Oh, he's coming over here. Act natural." Damon gives Elena a dazzling smile as he walks up.

"Can I help you?" Caroline asks immediately before Elena can speak up. She smiles politely back at him and pretends to be engrossed in her current activity.

"Um, yes. I was looking for a book for my _British Literature_ class but I can't seem to find it. Was wondering if you could help me figure it out?" Caroline nods giving him her best smile.

"I sure can. What's the title?" She asks. That was her flirty voice. Caroline had many voices and that one seemed to be the most dangerous one.

"_Wuthering Heights_." He says smoothly. Caroline nods her head and begins typing on the computer. Damon leans on the counter and watches her with a smirk on his face. Caroline flips her hair waiting for the computer to load some results. No doubt she felt his eyes surveying her. It was hard for Elena not to be jealous of her best friend sometimes. She was gorgeous and bubbly and had amazing hair. Guys sort of just flocked towards her. She had confidence that Elena could never have. Elena knew she wasn't too bad to look at it but she never felt extremely pretty or sexy. She was just...Elena. She adjusts her glasses and runs her fingers through her hair bone straight hair.

"It looks like we only have one copy of _Wuthering Heights_ and I'm afraid it's checked out for the next three weeks." Caroline says frowning in an irresistibly cute way. Elena rolls her eyes at the screen and bites her lip from laughing. Caroline was a lot of things but subtle was not one of them.

"Oh no. Well, all right. I was trying to save myself some money but I guess I'll have to break down and buy it. I can be ridiculously frugal sometimes." Caroline giggles.

"So sorry I couldn't be of more assistance. Is there anything else I can help you with?" She says with a hint of suggestion behind the question. Elena clears her throat and finally looks at him.

"If you really would rather not buy the book we could get it shipped from another university for you." Both Caroline and Damon look at Elena.

"Is that legal?" Damon asks. Elena chuckles praying that a blush doesn't creep up her neck from his ocean blue eyes staring at her.

"Yes. It's a partnership that all of the schools in the state have with one another. It's kind of like when your best friend owns a CD and you don't have it for your collection but you're not in a rush to buy it because you know you can just borrow it from them whenever you want..." Elena bites her lip stopping herself from talking anymore. She rambled when she was nervous. No stopping that blush now.

"Oh, Ok." Damon says chuckling slightly. "How quickly can it get here?" Elena turns to her computer and starts typing and clicking away.

"I can put a rush on it and it can get here by next week." Elena replies.

"That's fantastic! Let's do that!" Damon says excitedly. Elena smiles and Damon's smirk fades slightly. He leans his head to the side looking at her. Elena clears her throat and stops smiling not sure why his expression changed so quickly. She a postnote beside her keyboard and a pen.

"Just write down your name and phone number and we can give you a call when the book is in. Ok?" Damon takes the pen from her hand and jots down his information quickly. Elena admires his handwriting for a second before smiling at him again.

"Ok. We will let you know when it comes." Damon nods.

"Thank you so much for your help, ladies. You have a good evening." He says and walks away. Caroline and Elena both take the opportunity to admire him from behind and boy did they approve.

"He is sexy as sin." Caroline says shaking her head. "I feel like I should go to confession for just looking at him." Elena laughs shaking her head.

"You are ridiculous." Elena says.

" You were shamelessly flirting with him, Care." Bonnie says finally speaking up after observing the entire scene. Caroline shurgs.

"Oh, I know. You can't blame me this time, though, he was just too delicious to pass up." Bonnie shakes her head glancing at Elena to roll her eyes. "But I don't know he seemed to be pretty interested in getting Elena's help." Elena looks at Caroline skeptically.

"He was just being nice." Elena says matter-of-factly.

"So by staring at you from the moment he walked up here he was just being polite?" Bonnie says agreeing with their friend. Elena looks at Bonnie.

"Oh my God, you too, Bonnie? What. Ever." She says and gets up from her desk.

"Why are you so embarrassed?" Caroline asks her eyes narrowing as she grins amusingly. "Are you crushing on this guy or something? Is he your class eye candy this semester?" Elena hated that term. Caroline had made it up freshman year for the attractive people Elena saw in class but never tried to approach at parties.

"I'm not having this conversation right now. Bonnie I'll stack. You can work the desk for the rest of the shift." Elena says. Bonnie agrees and Elena hopes off her chair and starts to roll the cart away. The last thing she needed was teasing from her best friends about this Damon guy. She wouldn't be able to lie to them when she said she didn't care what they thought. And she couldn't lie that he had an effect on her like no other guy has...ever. She needed to sort out her thoughts on her own before having to face the jury.

* * *

"Hey, you're the nice girl who helped me find that book the other day." Elena looks up from her notebook and the boy who's been occupying her thoughts for the past week is standing in front of her.

"Hi," Elena says. Damon Salvatore sits down at the desk next to her smiling.

"It's nice to see you again. I thought you looked familiar." He sits his bag down in between them on the floor and pulls out a notebook. Behind his ear is a ballpoint pen. How can his ear be sexy?

"It's nice to see you too." Elena says. She adjusts her glasses knowing that it was yet another nervous habit she had.

"That's for all of your help again. I never would have known about the shipment option."

"No problem." Elena says and gives him a small smile. Damon smiles back and Elena feels her heart speed up. Professor Shane comes into the classroom and Elena is thankful. She looks back down at her notebook hoping she didn't have to talk to him anymore. She was a witty conversationalist normally but around him she was somehow off her game.

"Hello, people." Professor Shane says greeting the class with a smile. He plops down on the front of the desk. Elena was starting to think that would be his permanent spot since he had occupied it the past two classes. "So I asked you guys over the weekend to come up with a summary for your one act play. It only needs to be a paragraph and it doesn't have to be final I just want to see what some of you guys are thinking and see if I can help." Everyone seems to rustle pages as if finding where they wrote their summary. Elena was already flipped to her summary in her notebook knowing they would probably share it in class one day.

"Anyone want to volunteer?" The room becomes silent and a few people chuckle. Elena raises her hand wanting to just get it over with.

"I'll go, Prof." She says. Professor Shane nods to her and folds his arms waiting for her to read.

"Jackson and Riley meet in the laundry room of their dorm room one Friday night. Annoyed with each other's company at first they seem to be heading towards the title of enemies. But beneath the insults, the bickering, and the exasperated sighs, they realize they have a lot more in common than they initially thought. They might be able to be friends and they might just be exactly what each other needs." Elena scratches her head and looks up at her professor. The room is silent.

"Not...good?" She asks nervously. Professor Shane smiles.

"That sounds really interesting, Elena. How many characters will you have?"

"Just two. Jackson and Riley." She replies.

"And just one location?" Elena nods. "That's actually perfect. The simpler the setting and the fewer the characters the easier writing your play will be. Remember guys you only have 20 pages to make this play work. To include everything we will learn about a production this semester into this piece. So your characters will start off as enemies and then end up friends." Elena nods.

"Yes." She says. Professor Shane nods.

"That's great. It's a point A to point B situation. Plot is critical. If you do too much the play will start to get out of control and it'll be hard to bring it back. That sounds great, Elena. Anyone have any questions for Elena?"

"What made you choose a laundry room for your setting?" Damon asks. Elena looks at him.

"Umm, I was doing laundry with one of my roommates and she said she gets jealous when she sees couples doing laundry together. It just kind of clicked what if two people met in a laundry room and became friends." Damon nods his head and smiles. Elena laughs thinking of Caroline. Damon gives her that look again. The one he gave her in the library. She bites her lip and looks away.

"Why did you decide to add conflict to it?" Another one of her classmates asks. Laura, was her name. Elena had a few classes with her before. "Why not just make it a full on romance?"

"Professor Shane said that conflict moves a story along and I figured it would be more interesting if the two argued and hated each other. I thought it would be funny too. I plan on foreshadowing a relationship at the end of the play. I want their chemistry to be...natural and subtle but very dominate at the same time." Laura nods her head. Elena glances around the room and sees people nodding their heads as if they are impressed. She smiles slightly.

"Any other questions?" Professor Shane asks. People shake their heads and mumble "Nope" or "No."

"Ok, great job Elena. Who's next?" A few hands go up now eager because they know what they are getting themselves into.

"Great idea, Elena." Damon says and winks at her. Elena feels like she might stop breathing. She just smiles and tries to focus on the guy sitting by the door who is now reading his ideas to the class. She needed to get herself together if she was going to survive the entire semester with this guy. She _had_ to get herself together.

* * *

"So I may have facebook stalked Damon today." Elena says as her and Caroline are sitting in the common area of their on campus apartment. It was a nice sized suite with four single rooms. In the middle of the apartment was the kitchen and common room, on other ends of the apartment were 2 bedrooms and one bathroom. It was cozy and warm and decorated to showcase all of their personalities. Their fourth roommate was Victoria Donavon, whom they had met their freshman year in the dorms. She was a sweet, sassy, and fun girl. They all loved her.

"Oh, yeah? Dish...what did you find out?" Caroline asks looking up from her cell phone to give her full attention. Elena is seated on the sofa along the wall closest to the front door while Caroline is seated on the once across from her. The TV is angled in the corner a few feet away from them showing some 90's TV reruns.

"Well he's from here in Virginia. Born and bred. He loves 80's movies, spaghetti, the color red, and...He has a girlfriend." Elena says taking a huge sigh after she says the last item. Caroline frowns.

"Oh no. that sucks. All the good ones are taken." She says. Elena nods.

"Yeah, they are. Oh, well. I sent him a friend request anyway. We can at least be friends. It's nice to have someone in your classes you get along with." Caroline nods her head.

"Yeah. No harm there." Caroline says. Elena was glad someone agreed. They have been in school for a few weeks now and she could finally have a full conversation with him without getting tongue-tied or blushing fiercely. She still felt a tightness in her chest and butterflies in her stomach but that she was able to hide easily. His effect on her was something she would have to deal with. Elena hears a ding from her phone and looks at it. She clicks into her _Facebook_ app and Damon has accepted her request as well as sent her a private message.

"Damon accepted my request and sent me a message." Elena says scratching her head a little confused. Caroline comes over and sits next to her on the sofa peeking at her phone.

"Really? Are you going to read it?" Caroline asks excitedly. Elena clicks into the message and reads it aloud.

"Hey Elena, Its Damon from Theater class if you haven't already figured it out. Ha. I'm sorry for writing you on here. I didn't have your number so I figured this was the best way to definitely reach you. Normally students don't check their school emails frequently enough and this is kind of urgent. I won't be in class tomorrow because my car broke down. I commute from home, I live about a half hour away, and my car is going to be in the shop until possibly tomorrow night so I won't make it back in time. If you could tell me what I missed in class I would be greatly appreciative. Hope you had a great weekend. Thanks so much, Damon." Elena looks up at Caroline when she finishes.

"Well that wasn't as juicy as I hoped." Caroline says and goes back over to the couch she was on and lies down her legs hanging over it slightly. Elena shakes her head at Caroline and walks into her fair sized bedroom. She opens her laptop and clicks into her facebook account which is already logged in. She goes into her message and types a response to her classmate.

**Hey Damon! Its good to hear from you. So sorry about your car. I hope everything works out for you. I'll email you about what we talk about tomorrow and you can borrow my notes when you come back to class. I think we are only doing a workshop on our current writing assignment and getting responses from our peers so I don't think you will miss much. And no problem on messaging me on here. It's the voicemail messaging of our generation. If you ever run into trouble again feel free to call or text me here: 775-349-0505. You don't have to rely on facebook. :-) Ok, take care. Elena G.**

Elena hits the send button after rereading it a couple of times and then heads back out to the living room with Caroline. Not giving the message another thought.

Later that night Elena is on her bed, the television on low, and her laptop in front of her as the types furiously when she hears the chime of her phone signaling that she has a new text message. She picks up her phone casually and clicks into her messages. The text message is from a number she doesn't recognize. She clicks into the message and reads it aloud.

"Hey, Elena. This is Damon Salvatore from class. Thanks for being so cool about everything. Feel free to text me if you ever run into trouble as well." Elena smiles and reads the message two more times before deciding to reply.

**Elena**

**_Hey, Damon, good to hear from you...again. Lol. Its really no problem at all. Thanks for the offer. I will def keep that in mind. Did you find out anything about your car yet?_**

A minute later Elena's phone chimes again.

**Damon**

**_You're welcome. No, not yet. My poor Luna. Apparently there's something wrong with the engine. It needs a new heart or something. I don't know. I'm a writer not a mechanic. Lol._**

Elena laughs and quickly clicks the reply button to respond.

**Elena**

**_Luna? Tell me that's a Harry Potter reference. If it is we MUST be friends for life. Weasley is my King._**

Elena adds a smiley with the tongue sticking out and then hits send. Elena saves her assignment she has been working on and closes her laptop. She slides it down to the other side of her bed, grabs her remote control, and rests against the wall turning the television up. When she gets comfortable her phone chimes again.

**Damon**

**_It is, in fact, named after Luna Lovegood. Hi, my name is Damon and I am a Potterhead. Cue the lemonade and sugar cookies. _**

Elena laughs and shakes her head. His sense of humor seemed to match her own. She liked that. Friends like that made for a lot of fun conversations. She lies on her stomach across her bed her legs in the air kicking happily and then replies.

**_Elena_**

**_HIIIIIIIIIII, DAMON! LOL! I'm a potterhead too. I don't know if you noticed but I have "Mischief Managed" in script tattooed on the inside of my arm. It's THAT real for me. _**

Elena bites her lip wondering if that was too dorky to admit. She stops worrying when she hears the sound of his next text arriving to her phone.

**Damon**

**_I DID noticed that, actually. I've been meaning to ask you about that. That is really cool. I don't have that kind of heart to get something tattooed on me. But, hey, never say never. Many more drunk college years ahead of me._**

**Elena**

**_Drunk college years? I can't imagine you drinking or drunk._**

**_Damon_**

**_Whaaaaat? I'm a party ANIMAL!_**

**_Elena_**

**_Oh, yeah? Then how come I have never seen you at any parties?_**

**_Damon_**

**_Well I commute from Radford* which is about an hour from campus. I usually save the gas money and just watch Netflix or read. But when I do go out its usually to a bar or at my brother's fraternity house._**

**Elena**

**_That makes sense. Your brother is in a fraternity here? I'm from Mystic Falls btw. _**

**Damon**

**_I've heard of Mystic Falls. I think I might have drove through it a few times before. And yeaah. He was born with the good hair so he got the bids. I was born with the misunderstood sarcasm so nobody liked me much. Lol._**

Elena giggles shaking her head. She turns over on to her back and thinks for a second before responding.

**_Elena_**

**_Well I've never met your brother but I happen to like your hair and I think you probably should have gotten that bid with or without it. _**

She thinks about adding a wink face but then backspaces and adds a normal smiley face. She didn't want to come off as flirting since she knew he had a girlfriend. Even though he hadn't mentioned that at all since they started talking. She didn't think it would be this easy to talk to him either. In person she was bashful and quiet and shy towards him but over text messaging she didn't have to deal with his sky blue eyes staring at her or getting distracted by his mouth. It was all too much for her. She had never been affected by someone so much before in her life. Not that she had that much experience in the romance department but she had never felt like this before. It was probably just a stronger crush than she was used to and it would probably diminish as the semester went on just like all of her crushes eventually did. All she knew for sure was that she enjoyed being friendly with Damon during class and she was enjoying talking to him now. She wanted to be friends with Damon Salvatore. She hits the send button and lays her phone on her chest closing her eyes waiting for him to respond. Her phone chimes.

**Damon**

**Why thank you. You are extraordinarily kind. Let's just start our own fraternity/sorority.**

**Elena**

**Totes. Let's brainstorm! Phi Awesome Beta?**

**Damon**

**Mu Beta KickAss?**

**Elena**

**Hahahah! Stop. Just stop.**

**Damon**

**How about we brainstorm some more? Over lunch tomorrow?**

Elena smiles a big smile and nods her head as if he can see her.

**Elena**

**That would be really cool. :)**

She hits send and closes her eyes again. She had a feeling that this was probably the start to a beautiful friendship.


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, beautiful readers! Thanks so much for the reviews and alerts and favorites for this story. It is really interesting to write so I am glad you are enjoying it! Here goes the next chapter. Peace, Love, and Review! :)**

* * *

"So you are saying you knew Snape was good throughout the entire series? That's impossible." Elena says and then stuffs a few french fries into her mouth. Damon shrugs swallowing the swig of soda he just took.

"I promise you. I knew it. Think about all the things Snape did to help Harry, he was in the order, and Dumbledore trusted him." Elena nods her head.

"I totally get that but after he killed Dumbledore I was just completely torn. Did you just think it was all apart of the plan?"

"I did. I had complete faith in Snape. I just did." Elena giggles and sips her fountain soda shaking her head. Their lunch had been going smoother than she thought it would. She had been nervous all morning at work and seriously considered cancelling a few times but Caroline threatened her with double dish duty at the apartment if she did and Elena hated doing dishes. Not to mention she genuinely wanted to get to know Damon and this was the first step to that. They had decided to meet in the dining hall in the student union building. The hall was designed like a food court in a mall with booths with different types of food. Elena had decided on a large order of french fries and a turkey burger. The first thing Elena learned about Damon was that he ate healthy because he had decided on a salad no dressing. The conversation between them was easy and she hadn't remembered having someone make her laugh as much as she was with him.

"Well, I guess you are just wiser than us all." Elena says teasing him. Damon shrugs.

"I like to think so." He says. Elena throws a french fry at him and he laughs.

"So," Elena wipes her mouth with a napkin and leans back in her chair. "Why don't you live on campus with your brother? Are you guys in the same year?"

"We are, actually. We're fraternal twins so we have been in the same grade our entire lives. Freshman year and sophomore year we lived together but sophomore year was when Stefan rushed and I could tell he really wanted to live in the house with his brothers and be more involved with the fraternity so this year I told him I didn't mind if he really wanted to do that."

"Aww so you were all alone?" Elena asks pouting. Damon smiles shaking his head.

"Um, no, I had my friend Andie."

"Andie?" Elena asks wondering why the name sounded so familiar. Then it hit her like a punch to the gut. She saw that name linked to him on his facebook page.

"Yes, Andie, is our childhood friend and my um...my girlfriend."

"You're girlfriend? Awesome. That's...that's awesome." She says hoping that her face didn't show what she was feeling at the moment.

"Yeah, when I decided that I was going to get a place we decided to just move in together." He says. Elena smiles tightly. Great. She thinks to herself.

"Oh wow. That's...that's cool. So you've been together for a long time then, huh?" Damon nods.

"Yeah, three years. We've been living together since the beginning of last summer." Elena nods.

"That's great." She says nodding. There is an uncomfortable silence between them for a few seconds.

"So what about you?" Damon asks sitting back in his chair. Elena sits back up and starts folding the napkin in front of her in sections.

"I'm single." She says.

"Oh...really?" Damon says.

"Yeah, why do you sound so surprised?" Elena asks chuckling.

"I don't know. I just figured...I mean you're really great. Just wondering why..."

"Nah, I don't think its all their faults. I don't exactly put myself out there either. I've always been a little unsure of myself..." Damon chuckles.

"You have no reason to feel that way. I've known you only a couple of weeks and I can't get enough of you." Elena looks up from the napkin she can't seem to stop folding and looks at him. They stare at each other for a couple of seconds and then look away at the same time. Damon clears his throat.

"Um, thanks." Elena says and smiles. "Guys usually just see me as a good friend. I'm not really sure why." Damon nods and scratches his head.

"I'm not sure why either," Damon says chuckling. Elena blushes shaking her head.

"So how did you and Andie meet? You said you were childhood friends?" Damon nods.

"Yeah. Andie's parents and my parents were best friends in college and we all grew up together. Best friends. We've been dating since were started high school."

"That's a long time. I guess moving in was just a natural step?" Damon nods.

"Yeah. I mean. I guess...I figured since we've been together for so long why not test the relationship out for the long run." Elena nods. Wow. They are like soulmates. Elena thinks to herself.

"Well you are lucky to have someone like that. I'm glad you do." Damon smiles warmly at her.

"Thank you, Elena. And I'm sure you will find someone too. I hope you do." Elena nods a thank you.

"This was such a great idea." Elena says trying to ease some of the tension. She wasn't sure if it was from both of them or if it was just her own emotions running amuck. Knowing that this insanely attractive, funny, and intelligent guy was off the market and she had decided to become friends with him anyway. What was she thinking?

"So what did I miss in Shane's class? Anything substantial?" Damon asks. Elena sighs happy to be changing the subject.

"We just went over our assignment that was due. We had a workshop and Shane put up a few to show technique and strong plot lines."

"Did he put yours up?" Damon asks smiling knowingly. Elena blushes.

"Yeah.." She says.

"Of course. Shane loves you." Elena shakes her head.

"He picks them randomly. I swear he does." Damon shakes his head.

"No way. He loves your writing. It is always so good. You are the star student. I'm sure of it."

"Blah," Elena says and throws a stumpy french fri at him. Damon laughs. They stare at each other smiling warmly.

"This was a great idea..." Damon says repeating her words. Elena nods.

"It really was. We should do it again." Elena says.

"Yes, I agree. Why not have a standing appointment? I'm always here for lunch around this time." Elena smiles wide loving the idea of being around him three times a week every week.

"I would love a standing appointment."

"Wiked." Damon says. Elena laughs shaking her head.

"So you and your brother were born on the same day but you aren't identical? That's cool. I was wondering why you were in the same grade." Elena says wanting to change the subject to something a little less intense.

"Yeah. It was nice having a brother my age growing up but other times it was annoying."

"But generally you guys get along well?" Damon nods.

"Totally. We're total opposites but at the end of the day he's my best friend."

"That's sweet." Elena says smiling.

"What about you? Any siblings?" Damon asks. Elena leans her elbows on the table and holds her head up with her fists.

"Um, yes. I have a brother. His name is Jeremy. He is a couple of years younger than me. Just started here. Art Education major." Damon smiles.

"That's awesome. So art and writing? All that's missing is music. Are your parents musicians?" Elena drops one of her arms from the table and becomes interested in the label of her pudding cup that she demolished a good 15 minutes ago.

"Um, my parents are...gone actually. They died in a car accident when I was 16. My Aunt Jenna raised my brother and I." Damon's mouth turns down and he leans into the table.

"I'm sorry, Elena." He says softy. Elena shrugs a small smile coming across her lips.

"Its ok. It was a long time ago now. I'll always miss them but I am ok." Damon nods.

"I can't imagine going through that at all." Damon says. "Especially at such a tough age." Elena nods and inhales sharply looking at her fingernails.

"It was rough for a long time but my Aunt Jenna really got me and Jeremy through it all. She was strong when we didn't want to be and vulnerable when we needed someone to relate to. She's was incredible. I'm sure my parents would have been proud to have her take of us."

"I'm sure your parents would be proud of you as well." Damon says. Elena looks up from her hands and looks at Damon. He smiles warmly at her. Elena blushes and looks down at the table.

"Thank you." She says tightly swallowing a lump forming in her throat. Damon leans back in his chair and scratches his head again.

"You're welcome." He says. Elena picks up her fountain soda and sips on it only getting watered down Coke but needing something to do with her hands.

"So...what are your parents like?" Elena asks. Damon scoffs.

"Oh, Jesus. Set an alarm for Shane's class because I could be here all afternoon talking about them." He says and wipes his face with his hands. Elena laughs and picks up her phone.

"Ok...go!" She says and they both continue to laugh as he begins the story of his extremely detached father and uninterested mother.

* * *

"So you are going to just be friends with him despite the fact that you are attracted to him and wish things could be different?" Elena rolls her eyes as Caroline give her a lecture on her new friendship with Damon. Elena is sitting like a pretzel on her bed while Caroline is sitting across from her at the desk. She sighs deeply and adjusts her glasses on her face.

"I don't wish things could be different. What makes you think that? Was I disappointed to know that he was taken? Yes. But he is and so whatever. Now we just have to be friends which I am completely ok with." Elena says highlights something in the textbook in front of her.

"I see the way your eyes light up when you talk about him and the way you look at him when he pops up at the library sometimes. You adore him." Caroline says. Elena shakes her head.

"Contray to popular belief guys and girls can just be friends and that's all. We are completely platonic. There's nothing inappropriate going on at all."

"I am sure they can when they aren't completely into each other! I still think its a bad idea. Does his girlfriend know that he has female friends?" Elena runs her fingers through her chocolate mane. She takes a hairband from around her wrist and puts her hair up into a messy bun. She rests her hands on her knees looking at Caroline's incredulous face.

"I'm sure I am not the only girl he has befriended during his college career thus far. They've been together for years and friends forever. They live together. They have a fully functional adult type relationship and I am perfectly sure that that includes having friends of the opposite sex." Caroline shrugs.

"But have you noticed the way he looks at you?"Caroline presses. Elena rolls her eyes and tries to go back to her highlighting. She had a quiz tomorrow in Psychology and she did not want to fail it just because her best friend wanted to harass her all night. She was already irritated enough with the fact that a writing major had to take Psychology in the first place.

"He doesn't look at me in any kind of way, Caroline. Stop trying to make this into some sort of lame young adult novel that you're always reading."

"And stop being in denial about how completely ridiculous this whole situation is. I mean come on do you really think your feelings for him no matter how minor they are right now will just go away? What if they get stronger? What if they don't go away?" Elena groans loudly scaring Caroline slightly.

"They will! Ok? They will... they will go away... Because despite the fact that he's insanely talented, funny, charming, genuinely nice, and absolutely fall-flat-on-your-face-from-a-heart attack, gorgeous...he has a girlfriend that he has built a life with and is completely in love with who is probably equally gorgeous, equally talented, and equally charming. He would never be anything but friends with me. They are always never anything but friends with me. This is what I expected. This is what happens. So yeah I am going to be his friend because when you meet good people who aren't complete assholes and aren't self-absorbed you keep them in your life. So I'm keeping Damon in my life because I feel like its the right thing to do. So please can we not Caroline this to death and just drop the subject?" Elena finishes her rant and glares at Caroline waiting for her response. Caroline is glaring back at her with her mouth slightly ajar.

"Fine," Caroline says her nostrils flared.

"Fine," Elena says back and takes off her glasses. She rubs her temples closing her eyes. Caroline looks down at the floor and pushes a strand of her golden locks behind her ear. Elena looks at her best friend's pitful face.

"Must you always flip my bitch fit switch?"

"Yes...Must you always use my name as a verb?" Caroline says. She slowly looks up at Elena and smiles.

"Yes..." Elena says and smiles back.

"I just don't want you to get hurt." Caroline says. Elena nods.

"I know, Care. But I can handle it. I really can." Caroline nods.

"Ok," She says. "Subject dropped."

"Good...now come over here and help me figure out some acronyms to go with this Psychology crap for my quiz tomorrow." Caroline claps excitedly and jumps on Elena's bed ready to help her friend ace her first quiz of the semester.

* * *

_One month later..._

Elena jumps slightly as her phone rings for the first time in a couple of days. Besides her Aunt Jenna calling once a week to catch up she basically stuck to texting. She picks up her phone and sees a goofy picture of Damon staring back at her. She grins remembering taking that picture of him the first time they hung out. She hits the accept button on her phone.

"Hey, werido." Elena greets. Damon chuckles.

"Hey... What are you up to?" He says. Elena glances at the traditional alarm clock sitting on her windowsill. It reads 11pm. She sits up in her bed and grabs the remote turning the television down low.

"I'm just watching The Office reruns on TBS. What are you up to?" She asks feeling like something might be wrong. He usually texted her this late but never called.

"Oh, I love that show. Dwight is my hero." He says. Elena laughs lightly.

"Are you ok, D?" Elena asks using her nickname for him. Damon sighs.

"I'm sorry I'm calling so late. I know you are getting ready for bed."

"Its ok. Tell me what's wrong." She says now concerned. Damon is silent for a few seconds.

"Its Andie..." Damon says. Elena nods her head figuring it was something to do with her. Over the past month Damon and her had become really good friends. Whenever she needed him he was there and vice versa. He learned that most of her stress revolved around her classes and making sure Jeremy didn't get alcohol poisoning during his first semester and she learned that most of his revolved around him and Andie's relationship. He would never make Andie seem like a bad person because Elena was sure she wasn't but there were a lot of times where Elena concluded that Andie and him were not on the same page with a lot of things due to their conflicting personalities. Damon was very responsible and always had to have a plan of action for every moment in his life while Andie was a little more carefree and selfish at times. Elena never judged them or anything that had to do with their relationship. She only let Damon vent and come to conclusions on his own. She was being exactly what he needed right now: a good friend.

"What's going on?" Elena asks.

"I got into a huge fight with her today and she didn't come home. She just texted me and said she's at her parents. She just needed some time alone." Elena sighs.

"I'm sorry. What was the fight about?" She asks.

"I am always asking her over and over again to just contribute more. I come home from working all day and the laundry is pilled up in the hallway, there's dishes in the sink, and it looks like the tazmanian devil crumped throughout our entire living room." Elena bursts into laughter.

"Is she auditioning for _So You Think You Can Dance_ the entire time you are at work?" Elena asks laughing.

"She's reenacting _You Got Served!_ from the time she wakes up until she goes to sleep." Damon replies laughing as well. Elena shakes her head and covers her mouth as she tries to stifle the giggling for her roommate's sake. She was sure who was sleeping and her was awake right now.

"Oh, Damon. I'm sorry. I know that's frustrating. Have you tried talking to her about it? Like really sitting down and having a heart to heart...?" Elena asks and switches her phone from one ear to the other. She lies on her side and holds her head up with her free hand.

"See, I do. I try to just be calm and talk to her about it and all she does is make me feel like I'm being an asshole. And then on days like today when the apartment is a fucking mess I get pissed and we yell at each other." Damon sighs. "I know I shouldn't yell but it just...it makes me so mad."

"I think that you are in two totally different mindsets. She's more...entitled than you are. I mean she gets everything she wants from everybody who loves her and you have always had to be responsible because that's the way your parents raised you, you know? She doesn't mean to make you crazy. She just isn't use to having to be...an adult I guess. Which isn't her fault. When she comes home tomorrow...which she will...just sit down and talk to her again and just explain things to her again. She'll come around eventually." Damon sighs deeply.

"She'll come around?" Damon says.

"She shall." Elena says softly.

"Why are you so awesome?" Damon asks. Elena giggles.

"Lots of reasons. We'd be here all night." Elena says in a haughty tone. Damon laughs. Elena closes her eyes and inhales deeply listening to the vibrating sound.

"Why are you so awesome?" Elena asks back softly. Damon stops laughing immediately and the phone goes silent. Elena bites her lip berating herself in her head. She was using the voice again. There was no way she could cover up the emotion in her voice, the look in her eyes, and the selfless way she tended to his every emotional need. Most of the time she did but some nights like tonight like right now she would be overwhelmed by their friendship, by the sound of his voice at this hour after a long night of busting tables at the local college hangout, by the act of always being the one he calls when he was feeling shitty or angry or anything...sometimes even just happy. It was moments like this that told her...Caroline was right. She was an idiot to think that her feelings would diminish overtime. She was an idiot for thinking that her feelings for him meant nothing. The honest to blog truth of the matter was that from the moment she felt his eyes on her on that first day in Professor Shane's class everything in her world had changed.

"I'll see you in class tomorrow?" Damon asks. Elena swallows the lump that has risen in her throat.

"Of courses. Get some sleep." She manages to say.

"Night, Elena."

"Night, Damon." Elena says and clicks the end button on her phone as a single tear runs down her cheek. She wipes it fiercely sits her phone on the windowsill beside her and turns around hoping that sleep comes to stop the tears. Caroline was so right.

* * *

In another part of town, Damon hangs up his end of the phone and stares at the picture of Elena on her contact entry. He sits the phone down on the coffee table next to him and leans up off the sofa. He leans his elbows on his knees and wipes his face with his hands. What was he doing calling Elena with his relationship nonsense? Whenever something great happened to him like good tips at work or a good grade on a test he thought he'd flunk Elena was the first person he wanted to call and talk about it with or days like this when he had a really bad day and needed someone to cheer him up. He knew it was normal how he felt about her but they really were just friends: no flirting or anything else inappropriate. But the emotional connection they had was real and raw and it sometimes overwhelmed him because he didn't know what it was or how to control it. He only met her a month ago but he was certain that he never wanted to not know her again.

Damon's thoughts are interrupted when he hears the door opening. Andie Starr, his long time girlfriend comes through it. Damon leans back on the sofa and watches her as she walks over and sits next to him.

"Hey," She says. Damon looks at her and smiles slightly.

"Hey. You ran out of here like a bad scene in a soap opera and you decide on hey as your greeting?" Damon asks. Andie looks down at the floor.

"Well what did you want? I'm sorry my humble master, lord of the flies?" Andie asks. Damon presses his lips together into a thin line trying to keep his annoyance under control. If it was one thing he couldn't stand about Andie it was her entitled attitude.

"I'm not trying to be your boss, Andie. I'm just asking you to be more responsible. We both wanted this. We both wanted to try this out. I don't know what you thought it would be like but this is apart of it." Andie rolls her eyes and starts to pull off her tall boots. She runs her fingers through her hair.

"You sound like my father instead of my boyfriend, Damon. I don't need you breathing down my neck to do chores. I will do them when I am ready to do them."

"I'm not trying to be your father. How hard is it to put a load of laundry in? You let it pile up for weeks and then get pissed at me when you run out of clothes and the machines are occupied."

"This is the dumbest argument known to man." Andie says. "I don't want to talk about it anymore."

"Andie, I love you, but you are driving me insane these days."

"Well I'm sorry I can't be as understanding and funny as your precious Elena." Andie retorts and smiles knowingly at him. Damon scratches his head and looks at her.

"What are you talking about?" Damon asks.

"Oh, you didn't think I knew about your new best friend?" Andie says.

"I wasn't hiding her so I don't see your point." Damon says seriously.

"Sure seemed like you were." Andie says.

"I don't need to hide anything from you. Elena is my editing partner in my theater writing class and we're friends. I didn't know I needed to report to you every time I made one."

"Ones that you have lunch with three times a week are usually ones that I'd like to know about."

"There's nothing going on, Andie, if that's what you are getting at. She's on campus at the same time as me, we have lunch, go over homework, and then go to class together."

"And text each other every waking moment." Andie says. "You don't even talk to me that much."

"If she were a guy you wouldn't have a problem with it. We're does any of this have to do with us?" Damon asks slowly getting annoyed with the direction of the conversation. There was nothing inappropriate about him and Elena's friendship and he was getting tired of people saying otherwise.

"All of a sudden you have been nit picking everything I say and everything I do and starting fights over laundry and dishes? What are you trying to find a reason to break up so you can be with her?" Damon jumps up from his seat.

"Are you fucking kidding me? This has nothing to do with Elena. We're friends. That's it and I'm not going to have this conversation again about it. What I am trying to do is get you to be a grown up and not leave all of the responsibility of this apartment on me. If you can't do that then maybe moving in together wasn't the best idea."

"You know what? I'll save you the suspense. I'm moving out and moving back on campus with my friends. How's that for responsible?" She says. She gets up from her seat and heads to the bedroom. Damon follows her.

"Why are you being like this? I don't understand it. This went from you cleaning up around here to my friendship with Elena and now you are moving out?"

"You just basically told me to." Andie says.

"Why are you acting like such a brat, Andie? How hard is it to just help me out around here? I'm not asking you to be my maid. I'm asking you to just help me out. Don't let the laundry pile up, if you are home all day don't leave a sink of dirty dishes for me to clean up. Its not fair. I would expect you to ask the same of me. I can't maintain this apartment all on my own and I shouldn't have to." Andie folds her arms across her chest standing in the middle of their fair sized bedroom. Damon walks up to her and rubs her shoulders. Andie sighs deeply.

"I'm sorry." She says. She hands her head looking down at the floor.

"What is going on with you?" Damon asks.

"I don't know. I just saw you and Elena together a couple of days ago and I just started to formalize all of these scenarios in my head and it suddenly wasn't about me not picking up after myself it was about her."

"So you made a simple request into this huge deal? Why didn't you just ask me about it? We've always said we would be honest with each other and I am being completely honest with you when I say that me and Elena are friends. That is all. You have plenty of guy friends and I never question it when you have lunch with them or go to late night study sessions. Why? Because I trust you. You should give me the same respect." Andie nods her head.

"Ok." She says softly. "I'm sorry."

"I'm sorry too." He says. They hug each other but something tells Damon he hasn't heard the end of this.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello, beautiful readers! Surprise! Here's another chapter for you! Hope this holds you over while I work on Chapter Four. :) As always peace, love, and review! :)**

* * *

"So I have to tell you something and it might be a little awkward." Damon says. Its the next afternoon and him and Elena are having one of their weekly lunches which they both had grown fond of over the short amount of time they have known each other. Elena is chowing down on some pasta from the italian station in the food court and Damon is enjoying a huge serving of french fries. Elena imagines it must be one of his cheat days because he never ordered something greasy. She could tell through the t-shirts he wore that he worked out and once or twice she found herself waiting for him to stretch so she could get a peak of the skin between his jeans and the bottom of whatever shirt he was wearing that day. She always felt like a bad person for ogling him secretly but at least she wasn't voicing her opinions out loud. She felt like maybe that was what counted. Right?

"Oh yeah?" She says responding to his statement. "Hit me." Damon sighs.

"So...Andie is on campus today for her study group and I invited her to come to lunch with us."

"Um, that's great. Why would it be awkward?"

"I don't know. Last night after we got off the phone Andie came home and we continued our fight and then she...mentioned you and she was suspicious about our friendship."

"Suspicious? Why would she be suspicious?"

"Because she saw us having lunch and I hadn't previously told her about you." Elena sits back in her chair and stares at Damon.

"You never told her about us being friends? Well of course she would be suspicious. It looks bad." Damon groans.

"I know. I know. It was stupid."

"So what does she hate me now? Am I walking into the lion's den? I mean shit I would hate me too. She probably thinks we're sleeping around." Elena says. She shakes her head feeling angry but not really knowing why.

"I'm sorry. I didn't even think of it that way." He says. "I just..."

"You just what? You just...what?" Elena asks.

"I don't know..." Damon says seriously. Elena stares at him. She folds her arms across her chest.

"So what if she decides she doesn't like me? Then what? We can't be friends anymore?" Damon runs his fingers through his thick jet black hair shaking his head.

"No, that's not an option." Damon says.

"If she isn't comfortable with us being friends that is exactly what is going to happen." Elena says.

"She'll have to get over it."

"She doesn't have to get over anything. She's your girlfriend. She wins every time." Elena says.

"Well she won't win this."

"You are in a relationship and you hid a friendship with another girl for an entire month for no apparent reason other than the fact that you are an idiot. Seeds of doubt for 1500, Alex." Elena says.

"I will make it right. I will have a long conversation about it with her tonight and she'll understand that we are just friends and nothing more. She won't make me stop being friends with you."

"Yeah...sure. I'll be waiting for the goodbye call tonight." Elena says and picks up his fountain soda and sips from it.

"There won't be a goodbye call, Elena. I'm going to fix it." Damon says tensely and Elena can see the concern in his eyes. Elena sits his soda back down and then shrugs.

"Whatever you say, Damon." She says and as if on cue Damon sees Andie enter the crowded dining hall. Elena feels her throat constrict. Her hair is in loose curls framing her face, she is wearing a trendy top that clings to her perfect breasts and a pair of jeans that look to be tailored on and to top it all off she is wearing a pair of the sexiest boots she had ever seen. Andie is perfect. But of course she had to be in order to be with someone as beautiful as Damon Salvatore. She really didn't understand why she was so surprised. Damon stands up and kisses her softly on the mouth. Elena looks down at the greeting feeling her stomach twist into a knot. This was going to be the worst afternoon of her life.

"Hey, baby." She says and then sits next to him hooping her arm through his possessively. Don't worry. He is all yours. She thinks to herself.

"Andie, this is Elena. She's my friend from theater class. We meet for lunch before our class during the week and go over assignments and stuff and just hang out until class starts." Andie looks at Elena directly in the eyes and holds out her manicured hand for her to shake. Elena shakes her hand.

"Its nice to meet you, Andie. I've heard a lot about you." Elena says politely.

"Wish I could say the same about you." Andie says with a small smile. Elena's eyes narrow slightly. So this was how it was going to be. She says to herself.

"Are you hungry, babe? Want me to get you something to eat?" Damon asks interupting their staring contest.

"Yes, a tuna salad would be awesome."

"Oh, and get some more coke." Elena says handing him his own fountain drink cup.

"Oh I should buy another coke when you drunk it all?" Damon asks. Elena shrugs.

"It was tastey and you weren't drinking it fast enough."

"So why didn't you just buy your own?" Damon asks chuckling.

"Because I knew you'd buy one and I could just drink yours." Elena says smiling innocently. Damon laughs and walks away from the table. Elena follows him with her eyes chuckling and then turns back around to Andie. Andie's eyes are narrowed and Elena's smile drops.

"So what are you up to?" Andie asks. Elena takes a bite of her pasta.

"What do you mean?" Elena asks.

"Are you trying to steal my boyfriend?"

"No. Why would you even think that?" Elena says.

"Because that's what girls do. Especially plain ones like you. You try to be all quiet and innocent with your black framed glasses and non-blow dryed hair. You've got homewrecker written all over you." She says smugly.

"If you came to this lunch with the intention of harassing me and insulting me I can just leave. Me and Damon are just friends and I don't have any hidden agendas or anything like that. I'm sorry if that's what you thought but its not what's going on. We're classmates and we're friends. That's all."

"So friends text each other all hours of the night?"

"Is there a certain time in which you would rather he didn't receive text messages? I am willing to do whatever if it means making sure you aren't uncomfortable with our friendship." Elena says seriously.

"Can't you just disappear all together? That would make me extremely comfortable." She says smoothly. Elena bites her lip and starts to clean up her trash. "Leaving so soon."

"If there is no way we can handle thing like adults than yes. I'm not going to sit here and take this when I am doing nothing wrong. I thought Damon told you we were friends if he didn't than that's between you and him. I have nothing to do with it. I'm doing nothing wrong." Damon comes over at this moment sipping on the newly filled coke as Elena speeds past him and throws her trash away. She slings her bag over shoulder and her jacket over her arm. Then picks up the plastic dish containing her pasta. Damon sits Andie's lunch down in front of her.

"Are you leaving, Elena?" Damon asks.

"Yeah, um, I remembered I forgot I have to print out some things for Shane's class so I'll just see you later on, ok?" Elena says softly. Damon looks from Elena to Andie's face as she digs into her food without a care in the world.

"Ok. I'll see you in class." Damon says. Elena takes the coke from his hands and takes a few long sips and then hands it back to him. Damon smiles warmly at her.

"It was really nice meeting you, Andie." Elena says sincerely and walks away. Andie waves goodbye fleetingly not looking up from her food. Damon watches Elena until he can't see her anymore and then joins his girlfriend at the table wondering what may have went down while he was gone.

* * *

Elena slams the door of her apartment closed and throws her bag and jacket on the "dining room" table. She pulls out a chair and sits down holding her hands in her head.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Bonnie says coming out of her room. Elena looks up and runs her hands through her hair.

"I had the worst day ever." Elena says.

"What happened?" Bonnie sits down across from her.

"I had lunch with Damon and he bumrushed me by inviting his girlfriend who up until last night had no knowledge of our friendship. So naturally it was like a witch going to her execution. The minute that Damon left the table she rounded on me and made me feel like a complete idiot and a slut for being friends with Damon."

"But you guys aren't even like that. You are really just friends."

"I know. And in between insults I tried to tell her that but she did not want to hear it." Elena says covering her face with her hands. "I never had to deal with this ever in my life."

"Sounds rough. I'm sorry." Bonnie says rubbing her arms.

"Its my fault really."

"No its Damon's fault for being an idiot and not talking about your friendship with his girlfriend."

"I know!" Elena exclaims. "Why in the hell would he keep our friendship a secret? That's so stupid." Bonnie smiles knowingly at her best friend. Elena looks at her when doesn't respond to her. "What?" Elena asks.

"Will you completely bite my head off if I tell you what I really think of all of this?" Elena shakes her head. Bonnie pushes a strand of her mocha colored hair behind her ear.

"I think that despite the fact that you and Damon have nothing going on and that you two are completely appropriate in your friendship I don't think that means that you don't both want to have something going on or want things to become inappropriate."

"Bonnie, come on." Elena says.

"I know you don't want to hear that but listen I know that you claim that your feelings for him have gone away but I'm not a complete idiot. I can tell by how you talk about him and the look on your face while you are texting him that you are completely into him. I know that you would never cross any lines because he has a girlfriend but I'm sure that the moment Andie saw you two together she knew there was something more to it." Elena folds her hands on the table.

"I can be honest and tell you that my feelings for Damon have not gone away but I can also be honest and tell you that I being friends with him means more to me than any crush I may be developing."

"I know. I know that. And I also know that the fact that he was hiding your friendship means that he wanted you all to himself and it also means that he may be hiding some feelings of his own for you." Bonnie says matter-of-factly. Elena shakes her head.

"No way. Damon doesn't have feelings for me. He was probably hiding our friendship because he didn't want any drama from Andie which based upon our first meeting is completely understandable. Besides his girlfriend is like Giselle's american cousin and I am like not even close to it at all." Bonnie sighs deeply wishing her best friend would see how beautiful she really was.

"I don't think its that simple, Elena." Bonnie says. Elena puts her head down on the table. "Coffee?" Elena shakes her head yes as it is matted to the table. Bonnie smiles warmly at her and gets up to make some. Elena had no idea what she was going to do but it seemed like things were going down hill fast and she didn't know how to control it at all.

* * *

Elena rolls her eyes after reading a text from Damon. It was maybe the 15th she had gotten from him over the past week. She didn't know what to say to him. His girlfriend was pretty clear on how she felt about their friendship and it was only a matter of time before she'd ask him to choose. Elena didn't want to stick around for that conversation. She slips her phone in her back pocket and continues stacking books on the shelves in front of her. She was at work on a Friday afternoon enjoying the quiet. She used this past week to really think about what she was doing with Damon. She felt like maybe ending their friendship might be the best option. She feels her heart tighten at just the thought. She shouldn't feel like her entire world was ending just because she couldn't be friends with him. He shouldn't be this important to her. He just...shouldn't be. She walks over to the cart a few feet away and surveys which books she should be putting on the shelves.

"So you are just going to ignore my test messages?" Elena looks up from the cart. Damon is standing in front of her.

"I'm not ignoring you. I just needed some space." She says.

"Why couldn't you just tell me that? I've been going crazy." Damon says stepping around the cart to stand in front of her. Elena takes a step back.

"I needed some time to process some things."

"What things?" Damon asks.

"Just stuff..." Elena says.

"What time do you get off?" Damon asks.

"In 15 minutes which you already knew." Damon smiles. Elena shakes her head biting back a smile. She picks up a few books and starts putting them on the shelf. Damon follows suit and goes to the shelf across from her and puts up some books.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" Elena asks.

"I called out today." Damon says. Elena shakes her head.

"Why did you call out?"

"I was distraught." He says. Elena laughs quietly hoping that their whispered conversation wasn't interrupting the few people studying today.

"You were distraught? Why?"

"Because the Hermione to my Ron hasn't talked to me in a week and has been sitting clear across the room during class. You can imagine why I'd be upset."

"You're so pathetic. Don't you have any other friends?" She teases trying to ignore the fact that he just referred to them as Hermione and Ron. Damon scoffs.

"None that I care about as much as you." Damon says seriously. Elena looks at him. He gives her a lopsided grin. She takes a deep breath.

"Andie is going to hire a hit man to take me out." Elena says leaning back on the cart. She hangs her head starting at the ugly blue carpet of the library and when she looks up Damon is standing in front of her. She leans her head to the side. Damon pushes a strand of hair.

"I won't let her." Damon says.

"She's gonna wack me." Elena says nodding her head matter-of-factly.

"She's not." Damon says laughing.

"She is." Elena says.

"I missed you." Damon says seriously. Elena looks up at him.

"This isn't normal, D." Elena says softly. Damon leans on the cart too placing his hands on either side of her.

"What isn't normal?" Damon asks looking down at the floor.

"How I feel right now. How I feel every moment that I am with you or not with you. I miss you too much. I do too much. I care...too much." Elena says swallowing thickly. Damon stares at the floor for a few seconds and then looks up at her.

"All I know is that I just...I don't want to be away from you." Damon says softly.

"I don't want to be away from you either..." Elena says.

"And that's...not normal." Damon says. Elena shakes her head.

"No, no its not." She says.

"Hm..." He says. "We'll figure it out, ok?" He says. Elena sighs.

"Ok." She says.

"Do you want to go get taco salads?" He asks. Elena smiles.

"Do I ever not want to get taco salads?" She says. Damon takes a few steps back.

"I'll meet you out front, ok?" Elena nods.

"Ok..." Damon smiles and walks away. Elena watches him and groans.

"Jesus Christ..." She exclaims and starts to push the cart towards the entrance of the library.

* * *

"What are you doing here, dear brother of mine?" Damon says a few hours later when he walks into his apartment. Stefan Salvatore is seated on his sofa comfortable with a jumbo bag of potato chips in one hands and the remote control in the other.

"Andie let me in. She went to her parents' house for weekend. Told me to tell you in case you didn't get her text. I figured we could have a bonding weekend since midterms are coming up and we'll be in cram mode." Damon hangs his jacket up on the rack by the door, slips off his shoes, and then plops down next to his brother.

"Sounds good." Damon says and digs into the bag of chips pulling out a nice handful.

"Where were you?" Stefan asks suspiciously.

"I was at school. Dropped by the library to return some books." Damon says smoothly. Stefan grins.

"And to see Elena I suppose?" He says. Damon snatched the remote from his brother's hand annoyed at their twin telepathy at this moment.

"Shut-up." Damon says. Stefan turns his body to face his brother a little bit.

"What is up with you two? There's this weird vibe."

"There's no vibe." Damon says munching on his chips and flipping past the channels on the television in warp speed.

"There is SO a vibe. I completely understand by the way I mean she's really pretty and funny."

"She is great but...I'm with Andie so we're just friends." Damon says. Stefan stares at him for a few seconds.

"How many times do you practice that statement in the mirror to get your face just right?" Stefan asks. Damon's head snaps to his brother's face.

"Dude, stop." Damon says. Stefan starts to laugh.

"I can see what's happening to you, brother. I mean you are different with her."

"You've met her exactly twice, Stefan. How do you know how I am with her."

"Um, actually it was three times and one of those times was a lunch. You smile like you are keeping some sort of secret that nobody knows about and you look at her like she invented the sun, the moon, and the stars."

"I do not." Damon says softly. He stops the television on a rerun of some 90's show he can't quite remember the name of at the moment. Stefan shrugs.

"You've never looked at Andie like that." He says.

"Since when are you such a relationship expert?" Damon asks shoving him. Stefan takes the shove and just laughing.

"I'm not. I just know you, twin bro. I know you like the back of my hand and it seems to me like you are completely into that girl."

"I'm into Andie." Damon says. "She's my girlfriend and that's who I am into. Forever."

"Forever?" Stefan says with a mouthful of chips. "Who says that Andie has to be forever. Sometimes what used to be awesome for you just isn't anymore. I mean you've been together for a long time. Maybe you've just out grown each other." Damon shakes his head.

"I can't just drop her. It wouldn't be right."

"And you also shouldn't just be with Andie because you think it is what you are supposed to do. I mean its nice and you are a good guy for it but if you think you'd both be happier apart you should have the conversation. You never know...Andie could be thinking the same thing." Damon looks at his brother saying all of these words to him that he couldn't process, that made his stomach hurt, and in other ways made his heart soar. Stefan wipes crumbs from his polo style t-shirt and sighs satisfied as if he didn't just give his brother relationship advice that Dr. Phil himself would be envious of.

"Who are you sometimes?" Damon asks.

"You are off this weekend right?" Stefan asks. Damon nods.

"Come hang out at the house with me. And we're having a party tonight. Invite Elena and her friends. Especially that Caroline. I would love to get to know her better." Stefan says. Damon shakes his head.

"I'll text her and see what she says." Damon says. But he wasn't sure how good alcohol and dim lightening would be paired with his confusing feelings he had for Elena. He supposed it would not be good at all.


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello beautiful readers! Here in lies the fourth chapter. Its a little shorter this time because its really just a chance for you to see a different side of Damon and Elena and how they interact with each other...drunk. Lol. Anywhosies it was a lot of fun to write. Hope you like it. Next chapter will be sort of a climax for the entire story so look forward to it. :) As always thanks for the support and Peace, Love, and Review! :)**

* * *

Elena is lying in her bed listening to music on her phone out loud instead of with earphones as she sings along to the music. She has her TV on low as she half watched a rerun of some 90's TV show she remembered thoroughly enjoying as a kid. As she is laughing at yet another slap stick move by the main character of the show her phone signals that she has a new text message.

**Damon**  
**You said you wanted to see college party Damon so how about coming to Stefan's party tonight? Bring your friends?**

Elena grins and scratches her head. It was 8 pm. She was in her penguin pajamas and was fully wrapping her head around spending Friday night watching TV and possibly playing some sort of movie related drinking game with her roommates once she wakes them up from their ritual evening naps. Only on Friday evenings they allow themselves to nap. It ensured them a nice Friday night all night extravaganza. They had perfected this ritual since their freshman year and they never broke it. Ever.

**Elena**  
**Let me see what the girls think and I'll text you in a second.**

**Damon**  
**Aye, aye, captain.**

Elena chuckles and hops off her bed heading towards the other side of the apartment to wake up Bonnie and Caroline. She knocks on both of their doors and then goes back to the kitchen to get a soda from the fridge. She snaps the can open and plops down on the sofa as the girls stumble out of their rooms. Bonnie flops down next to Elena and Caroline sits crossed legged on their area rug wiping sleep from her eyes.

"Liam Hemsworth was just about to unbutton his shirt when you knocked." Caroline says rubbing her face with her hands. Bonnie and Elena laugh shaking their heads.

"So I have a proposition for you. How would you feel about skipping the Twilight drinking game tonight and going to a frat party?"

"Which fraternity?" Caroline asks. Elena shrugs.

"I don't know the name of it but Stefan is in it. Gamma Beta Hair Gel or something. Their house is at the top of the hill before you get to the crosswalk to the academic buildings for classes." The girls shake their heads knowingly.

"I think Vicki is dating one of those guys this semester." Caroline says mentioning their fourth roommate Vicki Donovan. She had been Bonnie's roommate back when they lived in the doors and had become apart of their gang instantly.

"It could be fun." Bonnie says nodding.

"And if it isn't we can form a sub party, steal the booze, and do Twilight reenactments instead?" Elena asks.

"Deal." Caroline and Bonnie says in unison and they all laugh.

"Ok, I'll text Damon and let him know we'll be there. Go get beautiful." Elena says and they all go back to their rooms to get ready. Elena plops down on her bed and grabs her phone from the edge of it and clicks on Damon's name.

**Elena**  
**Warn the frat boys: The nerds are coming. **

**Damon**  
**You are hilarious.**

**Elena**  
**I'll be here all week.**

**Damon**  
**Thank God.**

Elena blushes and sighs deeply. She puts her phone on the charger and puts her face in hands.

"I am so totally screwed." She says out loud.

* * *

"Welcome to my humble abode." says Stefan Salvatore as he ushers Elena, Caroline, and Bonnie into the fraternity house. People were spread out all around the wide downstairs area. Stefan decides to give them to grand tour where they found some dancing to the party mixes playing in the living room, others in the den making out in corners, a keg stand competition was happening in the dining room as well as beer pong. It was set up just like a normal house but instead of having 2 to 4 bedrooms it had 15. Being able to house 30 of the chapter brothers on campus comfortably. The others had the options of living in regular dorms.

"This is really nice." Caroline says when they make their way back to front entrance.

"Thank you. We are pretty proud of it. Just make yourself at home. You can do whatever you want but the cool people are in the kitchen." Stefan says. Elena smiles brightly but Caroline giggles flirtatiously. Elena looks at Bonnie and laughs. She likes Stefan. He was the complete opposite of Damon more outgoing and a little cocky but he had a good heart and he was always really nice to her. The girls follow him and sure enough the fairly big kitchen has a few people she recognized including Vicki, their roommate. She hugs them all warmly as if she hadn't seen them this morning for breakfast or this afternoon for lunch. Elena feels her stomach drop to her feet. She hoped he would notice that she dressed up for the occasion. If a guy like him could be attracted to her maybe there was hope for her afterall.

She let Caroline curl her hair giving her soft waves around her face and down her back. She highlighted her cheeks with blush and put on a light brown shade of eyeshadow to bring out her chocolate brown eyes underneath her glasses. She had even traded in her usual converse sneakers with a pair of not too high heeled knee boots. Paired with her normal blue jeans they made her curves look nice. She decided to wear just a normal t shirt and a leather jacket. She thought she looked pretty and maybe a little sexy she hoped Damon thought so too. His eyes lock on her immediately and the easy smile on his face drops. Elena walks up to him, Bonnie by her side, Caroline by Stefan's holding on to his arm possessively.

"Hey, D." She says. Damon swallows.

"Hey," He says smiling. Elena looks around the kitchen needing a reason to look away from his face.

"Oh, oh introductions." Stefan says across from her and starts to introduce the people in the room. Elena already knew Tyler Lockwood who was a member of the fraternity, Vicki's boyfriend, and Stefan's best friend. There were a few of Stefan's fraternity brothers and a few other girls who seemed to just be really good friends. Not groupies as Elena first suspected. But the most surprising guest was her little brother Jeremy who was sitting in the corner with a bottle of vodka in his hand willingly serving whoever held out a plastic cup to him a pleased smile on his face.

"Jeremy, what are you doing here?" Elena asks leaning up on the island in the middle of the room. Jeremy looks over at her and smiles big.

"Hey, 'lena! I'm a pledgee! On bartender duty tonight. All night. And I'm proud to serve my very gracious honor-filled future brothers for now and ever and beyond!" He says shouting the last part with conviction. Stefan holds his drink up to him as if she cheers to him. Elena shakes her head laughing. She had no idea her brother was interested in greek life but she didn't care. He could do whatever he wanted as long as he stayed safe. Jeremy pours her a drink and gives it to her.

"Thank you." She says and shakes her head again completely amused by his actions. She goes back to Damon's side.

"So, what have you guys been doing?" Elena asks the room.

"Just playing games. Tyler was just suggesting we should play a game of truth or dare next. Everybody in?" Vicki asks the room. Everyone nods their head agreeing. Elena feels uneasy but agrees anyway.

"Ok, I'll ask first. Tyler, honeybee, truth or dare?" Vicki asks smiling playfully. Elena bites her lip smiling too wondering what he would choose.

"He's totally picking dare." Bonnie says in her ear and Elena giggles.

"Dare, baby. Dare." Tyler says. Vicki claps excitedly.

"Ok, how about...I dare you to take your shirt off..."

"That's nothing." Tyler says starting to remove his shirt but Vicki stops him.

"No, no, no. I'm not finished, baby." Vicki says putting down her empty cup on the island. She goes into the back pocket of her form fitting black skinny jeans and pulls out her phone.

"I dare you to take off your shirt in a scandoulous strip tease to the beat of Flo-Rida." She says and everyone bursts out laughing. Tyler's mouth is ajar but he recovers and nods his head.

"You got it." He says and Vicki giggles scrolling through her phone to find the correct song. Once she hits play Tyler starts to dance to the music dancing around the island in what Elena assumes is supposed to be his sexy moves. Everyone is laughing including her. She had never seen Tyler's playful side before and she was loving it. After he successfully took off his shirt revealing that he was not shy to a gym at all Vicki stopped the music and he put his shirt back on tickling Vicki playfully as she teases him.

"All right, all right. My turn. Umm...Bonnie. Truth or dare?" Tyler says looking at her. Bonnie's eyes open wide and she drowns the rest of her cup. Jeremy comes over to her and refills it and then goes back to his station in the corner of the room.

"I'm a wimp and I'm proud of it. Truth." She says. Elena laughs.

"I've been telling you that your whole life." Caroline says shaking her head and Bonnie jabs her in the side with her finger. Caroline just laughs.

"Ok. If you could make out with one person in this room single or not who would it be?" Tyler asks. Everyone Ooos and Ahhs. Bonnie bites her lip and looks at Elena who is as eager for her answer as everyone else. Bonnie pushes a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Jeremy." Bonnie says and immediately looks down at the sticky kitchen floor. Elena and Caroline's mouths burst open laughter coming from Caroline's and pure shock coming from Elena's.

"I knew it!" Caroline says laughing hysterically.

"Oh my God, Bonnie! That's disgusting!" Elena says and starts laughing too. Through the laughter everyone is looking at Jeremy who is staring at Bonnie open mouthed. Bonnie drowns her cup again feeling the burn. Jeremy comes over to refill it.

"Ditto." He says and the room starts to Ooo again making Bonnie blush.

"I cannot even process this right now!" Elena says and finishes off her own drink. Damon laughs shaking his head.

"I totally called that one." Caroline says gloating and Bonnie turns to her.

"Ok, your turn, Carebear." Bonnie says. "Truth or Dare. Oh I already know what you're going to pick Dare. I dare you to kiss Stefan right now and mean it. We're all enjoy the flirtatious banter but we're ready to see some action." Bonnie finishes. Caroline turns around with no problem and kisses Stefan on the mouth proudly. Stefan kisses her back enthusiastically and the room roars with laughter again.

"This is going to be extremely interesting," Damon whispers in Elena's ear. Elena nods smiling up at him.  
An hour later Damon was proven right. They had seen a lot including Stefan doing his own version of Swan Lake, Vicki giving Jeremy a lap dance, Damon mooning the entire first floor, Stefan's fraternity brother Elijah doing a rousing rendition of Taylor Swift's Love Story in the middle of the living, and a girl named Rebekah make out with her friend Hayley for 30 seconds. As for Elena some of her favorites were to make up a rap on the spot, say what female celebrity she'd make out with (Katy Perry), down four shots of vodka in a row, and eat six slices of pizza in two minutes. She was pretty drunk at this point and extremely happy she had decided to come.

"Truth or Dare, Damon?" Stefan asks from across the room.

"Dare." Damon says.

"I dare you to kiss Elena." He says Damon's easy smile fades from his lips and he looks at Elena. Elena feels herself sober up immediately...well metaphorically. She drowns the rest of her fourth mixed drink and looks up at him her eyes wide.

"You don't...you don't have to." She says. Damon smiles shyly.

"I want to." He says and pulls her into him. When their lips meet Elena is sure she could die right there on the floor of the kitchen and be completely happy. It was sweet and shy and exploratory and Elena loved it.

"Whoo-hoo!" Caroline exclaims behind them but Elena ignores her as she grabs the front of Damon's shirt for balance when they break apart.

"Jesus Christ." Elena says quietly.

"Amen..." Damon says.

"To Damon and Elena!" Stefan shouts. Everyone cheers as Jeremy pours a respective amount in everyone's cups and drowns them together. Damon shakes his head giving Elena a sexy grin clearly as embarrassed as she is. Elena giggles and buries her head in his chest hiding her blushed cheeks. Damon strokes her hair laughing and slides his hands around her waist. She felt like she was in heaven. If heaven was a place where you could have a delicious buzz and have an equally delicious man kiss you then she wanted to go right now.

"Want to go and hang out alone for awhile?" Damon asks. Elena nods and takes his hand. They head out of the kitchen to the giggles of their friends behind them.

* * *

Damon had taken Elena to one of the vacant rooms in the house. He plops down on the twin bed farthest from the door and Elena leans up against the desk next to it. There is an awkward silence between them both of them probably thinking about the same thing.

"It was a dare." Damon says. Elena looks at him and blushes.

"I know." Elena says. "Sorry you had to do it."

"I'm not." Damon says. Elena shakes her head. College drunk Damon was her new favorite.

"What's your favorite color?" Elena asks needing to change the direction of the conversation desperately. Damon laughs.

"Black." He says. Elena plops down next to him on the bed folding one leg underneath the other.

"Black? Come on your favorite color can't be black." Elena says and sips on the drink in her hand.

"Gray?" Damon says. Elena shakes her head.

"You are such a weirdo. My favorite color is Red. That's normal." She says. Damon chuckles.

"Favorite flavor of ice cream?" Elena asks.

"Mint chocolate chip." Damon says. Elena nods.

"Mmm...yes. I love cookie dough." She says.

"Why are you asking me weird questions?" Damon asks smiling. He pushes himself back and leans on the wall behind him.

"I want to know more about you." Elena says.

"How much?" Damon asks.

"Um...Everything..." Elena says softly. Damon licks his lips looking seriously at her.

"I want to know everything about you too." He says. Elena nods slowly.

"So ask away." She says and smiles.

"Favorite nickelodeon television show from the 90's?" Damon asks. Elena laughs.

"Oh my God. I don't know. That's sooo hard." She thinks for a few seconds. "I loved Hey Arnold! But I was also sooo into Rugrats and As Told By Ginger." She says smiling. Damon nods his head.

"There's no wrong answer to that question honestly. The 90's were the best. I loved Doug." Damon says. Elena laughs.

"What were you like in high school?" Elena asks. Damon groans.

"I was involved. In a lot of clubs and organizations. Did some track and field. Teachers loved me. What about you?" He says.

"I was pretty much who I am now. I did everything with Caroline and Bonnie. We were in our own little world. Caroline was a cheerleader and Bonnie was in the literature club. I was apart of my school newspaper and apart of the yearbook. I became editor my sophomore year but after my parents died I couldn't really focus on it anymore. Senior year they reinstated me, though." Damon nods.

"I feel bad for bagging on my parents to you sometimes when I know you'd give anything to have yours back." Damon says honestly. Elena smiles.

"Everyone's issues in life are relative. I would never judge you. And anyway your parents are jerks to you. I can't believe your dad took away you and Stefan's trust fund." Damon shrugs.

"That's what he does when he doesn't get his way. He expected me and Damon to just major in business and then take over the company one day but I've always wanted to be a writer and Stefan has always wanted to be a teacher. We may not end up rich but at least we'll be happy."

"That's really all that matters." Elena says smiling. Damon nods. There is a comfortable silence between them for several seconds. Elena looks at him after awhile and is surprised when he is looking back at her.

"Is it horrible that I really want to kiss you again?" He asks. Elena feels her mouth go dry.

"You shouldn't want to kiss me. We're...friends." She says.

"Did you dress like that on purpose?" He asks. Elena looks down at herself.

"Yes. Thought I might catch me a man." She says in a thick southern accent. Damon laughs shaking his head.

"You should wear those boots every day." He says. Elena shakes her head.

"Nope...back to my trusty converses tomorrow." She says. Damon shakes his head.

"Why are you single?" Damon asks. Elena looks at him. " You're amazing, you know that?" Elena shrugs blushing.

"Guess I just haven't found the right person. And...all the good ones are taken." She says biting her lip wishing the alcohol in her system would stop the flirtatious word vomit. Damon scoots up the bed now sitting in front of her. Their faces inches apart.

"If I were single..." He says closing his eyes.

"If you were single what...?" Elena says. She kisses him on the cheek and then on his closed eyelids. He opens then his eyes now a shade darker almost midnight blue. Elena's mouth goes dry from the intensity. She wanted him to kiss her again and not because someone dared him too because he really wanted to.

"I'm drunk." He says.

"Me too." Elena says.

"We should go back downstairs before...before something not normal happens." He says. Elena nods her head.

"You go first. I gotta go to the bathroom." She says. Damon chuckles and heads out the room. Elena drowns the rest of her mixed drink and covers her face with one hand. What what she doing? She wasn't this girl. Her feelings for Damon were completely out of control and she was certain from the way she felt kissing him downstairs that she was falling in love with him. Falling in love with Damon Salvatore. Damon Salvatore who was...taken. She was officially pathetic. She gets up from the bed and heads out of the room closing the door behind her. She knew what she needed to do and she was going to do it whether Damon liked it or not. Somethings were like taking off a band-aid: you can't think about you just have to rip it off and feel the sting.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hello, beautiful readers! Glad everyone is enjoying the story! I am having so much fun writing it. I've completed the outline so it looks like the story is going to ten chapters long. So we are halfway through already! :) Hope you enjoy this chapter. It was intense to write and I probably wrote three different ways before sticking with this. As always peace, love, and review! :)**

* * *

"I can't believe you are going on _another_ date with Stefan? What is it date one hundred and one?" Elena shouts to her friend as she sits on the sofa in her apartment a pack of oreos in her lap. She takes one apart and starts to eat the cream on the inside. Caroline comes from the bathroom dressed in a white sweater, black skinny jeans and black booties with a nice heel. Her hair was straightened with soft waves in the front to shape her face, she was wearing light makeup, and a pair of silver hoops. She looked gorgeous as per usual. Elena smiles big at her nodding her head.

"Bravo. You look date five sexy." Elena says wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. Caroline smiles and blushing.

"Its date five and_ I_ can't believe it either. But I like him, Elena. Genuinely. He's actually listens to me when I talk, he's funny, and he isn't an idiot by any stretch of the imagination. We have a lot in common and things that we aren't into he's totally willing to understand and I am totally willing to understand too. And he's...so...hot. Its so weird. I think I might want him to be my boyfriend."

"That is something I _never_ thought you would say, Care. But I'm happy you are saying it. Stefan is great." Elena smiles.

"Thanks, Elena. So...victoria secret duffel bag?" She asks smirking and Elena giggles nodding and Caroline goes back to her room.

"So what are you going to do tonight besides the obvious?" Elena shouts grabbing another cookie and popping the whole thing in her mouth. She was used to having yelling conversations with her roommates. They often stayed in their rooms with their door wide open having open discussion as if they were all seated together. Its was another wacky thing that made them who they were.

"Stefan's going to cook for me and then we're going to have a Scream marathon." Caroline shouts back.

"Awesome. Sounds like the perfect fifth date to me." Elena says. Caroline's response is drown out by the sound of someone knocking on their door.

"Can you get that so I can make a grand entrance?" Caroline shouts. Elena laughs and gets up. She walks to the door listlessly and opens it without glancing in the peephole to see who it is. When she opens the door she is greeted by Damon Salvatore.

"Damon?" Elena says surprised.

"Oh...so...you do remember me? That's good to know." Damon says not smiling. Elena looks down at the floor.

"How did you know where I lived? I didn't...you've never been here." Elena says. Damon walks past her and enters the living room. Elena slams the door closed and walks behind him. Caroline comes from her room and is surprised to see Damon instead of Stefan.

"Stefan's downstairs in the lobby waiting for you." Damon says to Caroline. Caroline nods at Damon and then looks at Elena asking with her eyes if she's ok. Elena nods.

"Text me...later...ok?" Caroline says wrapping a scarf around her neck and heading for the door. Elena nods. Damon stands in the middle of the common room and puts his hands in the pockets of his hoodie. Elena is staring at the door even after Caroline has left through it. The room is silent. Elena refuses to look at Damon. She cannot believe he is here.

"What the hell is going on, Elena? Why haven't you been returning my phone calls, texts, facebook messages, and ignoring me in class? Again?" Damon asks. Elena looks down at the floor between them.

"Nothing's going on. I've just...been busy. Midterms were crazy and I just...I got into it and kind of went into batcave mode."

"Batcave mode?" Damon asks. Elena fiddles with her glasses and then folds her arms in front of her. He steps closer to her and Elena instantly becomes aware of his scent. She refuses to look at him. She can't.

"Yes." She says.

"Is this because of the kiss a couple of weeks ago?" Damon asks. Elena shakes her head.

"Not entirely." She says.

"I thought we both agreed we would work out being friends? I thought we were ok?" Elena shakes her head. Band-aid. She thinks to herself. She looks up at him and as always she feels her lungs collapse. He had a five-o-clock shadow, his hair messy as if he hadn't combed it through after a shower and just let it hair dry, and was wearing a pair of grey sweat pants that hung low on his hips and a hoodie zipped down a little too far revealing that he was either wearing a really low t-shirt or not one at all underneath it. She swallows her eyes lingering there for a few seconds. She suddenly felt aware of the penguin printed shorts she was wearing, Mystic Falls High t shirt, and messy bun in her head.

"Damon...I needed to clear my head and I can't do that when you are around all of the time because you are the one always clouding it up." She says matter-of-factly. Damon folds his arms across his chest.

"What do you mean by that?" He says. Elena takes a deep breath.

"I mean that you look like that and I look like this and its distracting and fogging up my head."

"What are you talking about? You're beautiful." Damon says with a serious face. Elena frowns.

"Stop." She says.

"Stop what?" Damon asks.

"THAT! Stop that! Stop looking at me like that!" Damon takes a step back from her shocked at the anger on her face and the emotion in her voice.

"Why are you yelling at me?" Damon asks.

"Because it is so frustrating being friends with you, Damon. You stand there all cool like you have no clue when I know that you do. I know..." Elena shakes her head. She feels tears well up in her eyes and she closes her eyes immediately hoping that would make them go away but instead they stream down her face. When she opens her eyes again Damon in right in front of her his hands on her folded arms looking into her face.

"Why are you crying, Elena? Tell me what is going on." He says.

"Being friends with you has been the most fun I have ever had with anyone. I haven't met anyone that has made me feel like it was ok to be me since Bonnie and Caroline in the 1st grade." She says. She exhales and wipes her tears feelings like the weight of the confession lifting. Damon smiles slightly.

"I feel the same way about you." He says. "Which is why I don't understand why you keep pushing me away."

"Do you really not understand what this is all about? Do you really not get it?" Elena asks. She wipes another stray tear and smiles a watery smile at him. Damon stares at her for a few seconds. She sees it in his eyes, the realization, especially when his warm smile drops into a frown.

"I'm in love with you, Damon." Elena says softly. Damon looks down at the floor and drops his hands from her arms. Elena steps around him and covers her face with her hands. She wipes her face again and then turns around Damon's back facing her.

"And I'm not talking school-girl-crush-only-wanting-what-she-can't-have, love. I'm talking about...feeling-like-I-can-fly-seeing-stars-not-enough-air-in-the-room-when-you-are-near-me-feeling-like-I'm-not-whole-when-you-are-away, kind of love. It has hit me like a freight train and I cannot stop thinking about you and dreaming about you and wanting you all to myself. And after that kiss at Stefan's party I knew that there was no way I could stand by and just be your friend. It hurts too much, Damon. Especially when I want...so much more. I want...everything.

"What exactly..." Damon stops his words short and clears his throat and Elena can swear that she hears emotion in his voice. She chalks it up to hallucinations. "What exactly...do you want me to do? Is this an ultimatum?" Elena scoffs.

"No, its not an ultimatum. Its me being completely honest with you. You wanted to know why I've been freezing you out? That's why. I can't be friends with you anymore and I thought that it would be easier to just disappear from your life then to have the conversation we are having right now. But you of course decide to show up at my apartment in the dead of night." Elena says. Damon turns around and looks at her.

"What did you expect me to do? Just accept you ignoring me? Just...go on with my life like you never existed?" He asks suddenly angry.

"Yes, Damon. I did. I expect you to not care! I expect you to stop giving a shit because it makes it so much easier and less confusing!" She yells.

"You think you are the only one who is confused? You think you are the only one...dealing with all of this? I'm...I'm dealing with this too." He yells back.

"I know...You don't want to lose a friend. I get it but guess what you can't have your cake and eat it to!"

"You think I'm being selfish here? You think that's what all of this is about? You know...nothing!"

"Then tell me! Be honest with me for once instead of leaving me hanging and pining and feeling like my heart is going burst out of my chest and jump into yours!"

"I don't know what to do here, Elena! I don't know how to fix this! That is me being completely honest!" Damon says running his fingers through his hair. Elena tries to keep her chest from rising and falling so rapidly. She folds her arms again.

"I've been in love with the same girl for nearly half of my life and then you show up and blow all that I've known...out of the fucking water. Do you know how that feels? To feel this magnetic pull towards one woman but have made promises to another? You think I don't know how you feel? You think I don't know that we have a connection? You think I don't look at you and see that you want me? Of course I see it. I see it because I'm looking at you the exact same way. That's not me being selfish? I'm not trying to string you along, Elena. I would never want to hurt you that way. I just truly hoped that at some point the feelings would fade. I just..don't want to lose you." Damon says his voice breaking at the end of that. Elena feels fresh tears fall from her eyes. Damon rushes over to her and pulls her into him. Elena pushes him away her hand on his chest but Damon just grabs it and holds it there slipping his other hand around her waist.

"Damon, don't do this." Elena says.

"Just let me hold you for a second." Damon says softly connecting his forehead to hers. Elena relaxes against him and buries her face in his neck.

"Fine." She says softly. There is silent for a few seconds.

"You are..._everything_, Elena. _Everything_. You make me feel like...like a completely different person. Like the person I want to be. I look at you and I see...everything. But what am I supposed to do here? Either way somebody gets hurt. Either way I lose someone who means so much to me. How can I do this? How can I choose?" Elena shakes her head.

"I'm not asking you to choose, Damon." Elena says. "I could never ask you to do that. What kind of person and friend would I be if I did that to you? I'm making the choice for you because I know that you are amazing. I know that you are a great guy and that you don't want to hurt me. I know that you have a history with Andie and that you can't just walk away from all of that because...because I showed up in your class. I'm making the choice for you so you don't have to." Elena untangles herself from his arms reluctantly and takes a step back.

"This isn't fair." He says.

"Life isn't fair." She says. Damon stares at her for a few seconds. Elena smiles as happily as she can.

"Its not goodbye forever, Damon. I mean...maybe I will meet some handsome pre-med student and trick him into falling in love with me and I'll get over you and we can be besties again." Damon chuckles at her pathetic attempt at humor but neither of them sound amused. Damon nods his head and heads for the door.

"Bye, Elena." Damon says. Elena nods her head and waves unable to say the words. She turns around giving him her back and after several seconds she hears the door slam shut signaling that he was gone from her life. Almost instantly she hears another door open and Bonnie peaks her head from around the corner. Elena looks at Bonnie and looks at her apologetically completely forgetting that Bonnie was taking her Friday evening nap. By the look on Bonnie's face she had heard enough to know that things were over. Elena shrugs and smiles a sad lopsided smile. Bonnie frowns at her and holds her arms out.

"Come to Bon-Bon." Bonnie says and Elena breaks down completely her eyes cascading with tears and her body shaking from the force of the sobs she had been holding in the entire conversation. She lets Bonnie wrap her arms around her stroking Elena's hair and telling her everything will be ok. They stand there Bonnie starting to cry too for her friend's broken heart. Elena doesn't know what is worst being in love with Damon or after evaluating Damon's reaction and words the fact that she was sure he had fallen in love with her too.


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello, beautiful readers! Thank you soooooo much for the reviews on the last chapter! I am so happy that you enjoyed it so much! I really hoped that the emotion of Damon and Elena was real and I am so happy you got that! Ugh! Love you all! Lol! Ok so here is the next chapter. Hope you like it. Peace, love, and review! :)**

* * *

_Middle of Thanksgiving Break..._

"Surprised to see you home." Andie walks in the door of her and Damon's apartment. She walks over to the couch and sits down next to Damon who is flicking through the television channels.

"Well I live here so I don't know why you would be surprised." He says cooly not greeting her since she didn't greet him either.

"I just meant that you've been staying with Stefan at home a lot lately. I thought we were going to spend this week together and we haven't really."

"Let's cook and rent a movie tomorrow?" Damon asks. Andie's eyes narrow at him.

"Don't make it sound like a chore." Andie says.

"I'm not." Damon says.

"You are." Andie says through her teeth. "I don't know what your problem is lately."

"My problem?" Damon asks still not glancing at her.

"Yeah this acting like a dick problem. What is wrong with you? You've been walking around here pouting since the semester... ended..." Andie looks down at the sofa and shakes her head suddenly having a lightbulb moment. Damon finally looks at her shocked by her sudden silent.

"I don't mean to be a dick. I'm sorry." He says sincerly and looks back at the television.

"Is this about Elena?" Andie asks directly. Damon's head snaps to her face.

"What are you talking about?" He asks.

"I noticed you haven't been texting her anymore and you haven't mentioned her to me since thanksgiving break so...I'm guessing you guys aren't friends anymore."

"No we aren't talking. But I don't see your point." Damon says and gets up from his seat heading for the kitchen. Andie waits for a second and then follows him leaning up against the counter as he goes into the fridge searching for absolutely nothing.

"So this is you off Elena?" Andie asks.

"Don't start, Andie." Damon says.

"No, really. I'm being completely serious. This is how you act when you don't talk to or see Elena? Like a love sick puppy?"

"I'm not-"

"What do you think I'm fucking stupid?" Andie asks. "Do you think I have complete fucking idiot tattooed on my forehead?" Damon closes the fridge and looks at her.

"No," He says mostly because he was sure all of that wouldn't fit on her forehead. He sighs.

"Ok...so how about you be completely honest with me, Damon, huh?" Damon sighs again.

"Ok..." He says feeling defeated.

"Do you have feelings for, Elena?" She asks. Damon looks at Andie for a few seconds and then nods.

"Yes. I think I do." He says. Andie just stares at him.

"Have you had feelings for her this entire time and have been making me look like a crazy person on purpose?" Damon shakes his head immediately.

"No, Andie. I haven't been lying to you this whole time."

"So where did this revelation come from?" Andie asks folding her arms across her chest. Damon groans loudly not prepared for whatever will happen next.

"I kissed her." He says. Andie stares at him again.

"When?" She asks.

"At Stefan's party a month or so ago. We were all playing truth or dare and I was dared to kiss her and I did."

"Were you drunk?" Andie asks.

"Yes. Very. We both were." Damon says. "But it isn't an excuse. I wanted to do it." Her monotone was starting to scare him slightly. He wasn't prepared for her to be so calm. He leans off of the fridge and walks to stand in front of her. Andie holds up her hand signaling that she needed space. She walks out of the kitchen. Damon exhales and after a second follows her back into the living room but she is now heading towards the bedroom. He follows her there.

"What are you doing?" He asks leaning in the doorway. Andie goes underneath their full size bed and pulls out a suitcase, throws it on the bed, and opens it.

"I'm going to stay with my parents until Thanksgiving break is over." She says and walks over to their dresser picking and choosing what to throw in her suitcase quickly and tossing them without looking at Damon.

"You don't have to leave, Andie." Damon says. "I don't want you to leave." Andie stops.

"She told you she loved you didn't she?" Andie asks. Damon looks down at the floor. Andie looks at his face not needing him to answer her with his mouth. She could see it all over his face and when he looks back up at her all in his eyes. Andie resumes packing.

"Andie, let's talk about this. Don't go. I'm here. Doesn't that mean anything?" He says.

"No. No you are not here, Damon. The guy that's been walking around here for the past week isn't my boyfriend! The guy that's been walking around here for the past week is thinking about another girl and I won't live here while you pine for someone else! It isn't fair to me!" Damon closes his eyes feeling the weight of his guilt. She was yelling at him and he deserved it.

"You've got a week. One. Week. Call your brother, throw a rave, watch football, exercise, read a relationship advice book or blog. I don't care. But do something because when I return in a week I want a direct answer to this question: Who do you want to be with?" Damon looks up at her as she zippers the suitcase and pulls it off the bed. He follows her as she heads for the door.

"Andie, I'm sorry. I didn't mean for any of this to happen." Andie shrugs.

"I know, Damon." She says with cold eyes. "Just figure out what you want." And she leaves. Damon hangs his head and lets his guilt, sadness, confusion, and self-pity wash over him completely sinking to the floor and sitting there letting it drown him.

* * *

Elena plops down next to her Aunt Jenna on the sofa in her home in Mystic Falls. Thanksgiving Break has been a blur for her. All she can think about is Damon and since her best friends were currently in the honeymoon phases of their new realtionships she didn't want to weigh them down with her negative energy. She knew they would be understanding and let her vent but she didn't want to do that to them. They deserved to be happy and not worry about their best friend frowning herself to death.

"What's up, buttercup?" Jenna asks putting her arm around Elena and pulling her in for a kiss on the forehead. Elena loved her Aunt. Words really could not describe how much. She had taken in her and her brother without hestitation when her parents died and she had done a damn good job of getting them through all of the hurt, confusion, anger, and pain that death brings. Elena was so grateful for her.

"Bonnie and Caroline are out on dates. Blah. Can I hang out with you and Alaric tonight? Crash your party?" She asks reaching into the bowl of popcorn in her Aunt's lap and stealing a handful.

"Of course you can. We were just about to pop in a movie." She says chuckling. Alaric Saltzman, Jenna's boyfriend comes from the kitchen with a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses. Elena smiles. Oddly enough she loved her Aunt's boyfriend almost equally as much as she loved her Aunt. He had come along a few months after Jenna had moved back to Mystic Falls and had been there through all of the drama. He never once ran away from Elena's Aunt or her baggage. He embraced it and had been another shoulder to cry on many a times. After getting through one hell of a year Jenna had asked Jeremy and Elena if it was okay for Alaric to move in and they said yes without hesitation. He had become family to them and he belonged with them.

"Grab another glass. I'm playing third wheel tonight." Elena says. Alaric sits the wine and glasses down chuckling. Elena watches him smiling still. They look at each other passing a secret with their eyes. As the highlight of her break so far Elena and Jeremy had accompanied Alaric to go shopping for Jenna's Christmas gift: an engagement ring. She knew she would be swapped the last few weeks of school with finals and all so this was the best time to do it. He was going to be her uncle and she was pumped about it beyond words.

"You are never a third wheel and always welcome, 'Lena." He says and goes back into the kitchen to get her a glass. He returns quickly and pours them all a glass of wine. Elena takes her glass happily and sinks into the comfy sofa as Jenna gets up and goes over to their movie collection hoping to pick something out for them.

"Would it be weird if I vented to you guys about my love life?" Elena asks feeling like she really needed to talk about what was bothering her. Jenna smiles.

"Of course not. We're all ears. Unless Alaric is uncomfortable with a little girl talk."Jenna says. Elena laughs and looks at Alaric.

"Will you tease me for the rest of my life if I say I actually enjoy it?" Alaric says grinning. The girls start to giggle and Alaric shakes his head taking that as a yes.

"Ok. So...I met this guy this semster. Damon Salvatore." Elena says. Alaric sits back in his chair and sips from his wine listening intently.

"Cool name." Alaric says. Elena nods.

"I know right?" She says and chuckles. "We met in my theater writing class. Kind of hit it off instantly. He was really funny and nice and we shared a lot of the same interests and it was just easy, you know? But he had a girlfriend so we couldn't be anything more than friends." Jenna comes over to the sofa and grabs her glass of wine before sitting down next to Elena.

"Oh, that sucks." Jenna says frowning. Elena nods.

"Yeah I know. But it was ok, you know? I was happy to just be his friend because we got along so well, you know? But after a month or so I realized that maybe it wasn't such a good idea anymore."

"You started developing feelings for him?" Alaric asks. Elena nods.

"Yeah. Stupid, huh?" Elena asks.

"Not at all, Elena. You can't help the way you feel." Jenna says.

"Yeah, I now." Elena says. "So I told him, you know, that I felt like the connection we had was getting to be too much for me because I was developing feelings for him and I thought it would be best if we just stayed away for awhile."

"Is that why you've been having sad eyes this whole week?" Jenna says frowning. Elena nods and before she can stop them tears have started to fall from her eyes. Alaric comes from the small chair and sits on the otherside of Elena and wraps his arms around her while Jenna strokes her hair.

"I'm sorry." Elena says through her tears. "I just...it just sucks, you know? Because I miss him every day and it seems to get worst and I really just want to not miss him and not feel this way so we can just be friends again."

"You love him?" Jenna asks. Elena nods her head.

"Yes." She says. "I do."

"Do you think he loves you too?" Alaric asks. Elena shurgs and wipes away her tears.

"I don't know. I mean he has a girlfriend. He can't exactly go around confessing his love for another girl."

"How did he react when you decided to give each other space?" Alaric asks. Elena dries her eyes and sits back against the sofa folding her legs like a pretzel. Alaric and Jenna relax too their attention completely on their niece and the movie night forgotten for the moment.

"I freezed him out for a week and he showed up at my apartment freaking out because we hadn't talked. It was intense but I told him he had to be with his girlfriend." Elena says.

"What did he say when you told him how you felt?" Jenna asks picking up her glass of wine from the coffee table.

"He said he was confused and he didn't know what to do." Elena covers her face with her hands. "But he left and went back to her. He had to. He's committed to his girlfriend and its the right thing to do."

"It is the right thing to do but is it what you both want?" Jenna says.

"What do you mean?" Elena asks.

"I mean did you give him any other choice? Any reason for him to not go back to his girlfriend?"

"What was I supposed to do jump him?" Elena asks.

"No, of course not. I just mean..." Jenna sighs. "Elena you are a great person and you have always put others before yourself. You're compassionate and caring and it makes you who you are. But sometimes I think that you should take a step back and think about what you want too. Think about what makes you happy."

"Your Aunt's right, Elena." Alaric says with a lopsided grin. "It sounds like you told Damon how you felt and then just let him walk away from you without a fight."

"Did you ever think of asking him to choose? Telling him how you feel and making it known that you want to be with him and want him to choose you?" Jenna asks.

"I can't do that." Elena says shaking her head.

"Why not?" Jenna asks.

"Because he's in a relationship and it would be wrong of me to put him in that position." Elena says matter-of-factly.

"Maybe he needs to be put in that position. Maybe it'll make him wake up and realize that losing you would be the biggest mistake of his life." Alaric says. "Because it would be. Because you are incredible and he wouldn't have been so upset if he didn't already know that."

"Its a huge risk. What if he gets angry and doesn't ever want to be friends again ever? What if he decides to just string me along and can't ever break up with Andie completely?" Elena says shaking her head.

"What if, what if, what if." Jenna says mocking her niece. Elena glares at her. "I don't know what you are more afraid of: that he won't choose you or that he will."

"Why would I be scared of that?" Elena asks and picks up her glass of wine from the coffee table. She drowns it.

"I don't know. Why would you?" Alaric asks. Elena looks from her Aunt to Alaric and then back again. She sits her glass back on the table and sighs. She hated when they double teamed her like that. It was worse than when her parents use to do it because they knew her even better than her parents once did.

"What?" Elena asks rolling her eyes.

"You haven't dated anyone since your parents died." Jenna says. Elena shurgs.

"I've been busy and no offense, Alaric, but guys are assholes so I've just been focused on school. There's nothing wrong with that."

"No offense taken." Alaric says holding up his wine glass to her before drowning it. He gets the bottle and pours them all another glass.

"There isn't anything wrong with focusing, you're right, but...I think there's more to it then that."

"Like what?" Elena asks.

"Like maybe...you're afraid to open your heart up to someone."

"Why would I be afraid of that?" Elena asks taking a sip from her glass.

"Because loving someone means having the fear of losing them and you know all about loss now, don't you?" Elena looks at her Aunt.

"That has nothing to do with it." Elena says softly.

"You aren't afraid of losing someone like we loss your parents?"

"Of course I am." Elena says.

"I completely understand being afraid, Elena. I was the same way before Alaric came into my life. But you can't let that fear keep you from the things you love. You have to fight. You always have to fight." Jenna says. Elena smiles at Jenna and then turns to Alaric. Elena rolls her eyes.

"I know. I hate when she's right too." Alaric says and pours Elena another glass of wine. Jenna laughs beside them.


	7. Chapter 7

**Hello, beautiful readers! Two chapters in one day? Yes, I did it! BAM! WHAT? LOL! Hope you love it because I loved writing it! :) Peace, love and review! :)**

* * *

Elena slides her suitcase under her bed and then leans against the bed trying to figure out what else she could do to keep her hands moving. She had gotten back to campus an hour ago and had texted Damon that she wanted to see him. He agreed to come to the apartment. She had run out of things to keep her busy until he arrived. Her Aunt had been right about everything she said and later that night she had went to bed and thought about what her life would be like if she didn't tell Damon everything. If he rejected her and decided he wanted to be with Andie then that's what would happen but at least she couldn't say she didn't put up a fight. As if on cue there is a knock on the door and Elena jumps slightly her heart racing knowing exactly who it was on the other end. She takes a deep breath and goes to answer it. When she opens the door Damon is standing there. He looks up at her and smiles.

"Hey," He says.

"Hey," Elena says leaning her head on the door.

"Can I come in?" He asks. Elena nods and opens the door a little more to let him in. Damon walks to her room and Elena closes the door behind them. She watches Damon as he looks around. She blushes realizing this is the first time he has ever been in her room. The close proximity has her heart racing. She might just have a heart attack before she even gets to tell him everything in her heart. He turns around and looks at her.

"I didn't expect to hear from you." Damon says.

"I hadn't planned on talking to you to be honest." Elena says.

"What changed your mind?" He asks. Elena bites her lip hoping that it'll stop it from trembling.

"A lot of stuff..." She says. Damon pulls the strings of his hoodie listlessly.

"Like what?" He asks not looking up at her.

"Well... I had a good Thanksgiving. I, um, got to spend some time with Jenna and Alaric and Jeremy too, you know, as a family. Alaric is going to propose Christmas Day. We picked out a ring. Its beautiful. Jenna's going to love it." Damon smiles and leans up against her bed crossing one foot over the other and folding his arms. He was trying to look casual but Elena wasn't buying it since he wouldn't look her in the eye.

"That's really nice." He says. "I'm happy you had a good time with your family. And I'm happy for your Aunt too."

"Thanks." Elena says. She walks over to him and leans up against her desk chair directly across from him holding on to it with her hands looking down at the floor. "I also got a lot of time to think about a lot of things. One of those things being...you...and me...and us."

"Yeah?" Damon says. Elena nods.

"I think I might have forgotten to tell you something or well...left some things out of my little speech."

"Sounded pretty straight forward to me." Damon says. Elena shakes her head.

"I just..." Elena sighs. She folds her arms and then unfolds them again. She wipes her sweaty palms on her yoga pants and then pushes her glasses off the bridge of her nose.

"Just spit it out. I can take it." Damon says.

"I love you. I'm in love with you. You know this? You heard me tell you out there in my living room. My whole speech. Ugh. Pathetic. " Elena says. Damon bites his bottom lip trying not to laugh at her nervousness but she was so adorable he couldn't hide his smirk.

"Yes..." He says. Elena smiles slightly too. She was such a dork sometimes.

"Ok, so I decided that I wanted to tell you that the reason why I can't just be your friend is because I really want more than that. I deserve more than that. But its not even just that I deserve more than that. Its like I can't ever imagine having the more than that with anyone but you." Damon sits up a little bit straighter no longer leaning on her bed for support.

"I understand..." Damon says.

"No, see, you don't understand because I haven't exactly told you everything." She says slowly walking towards him. Damon looks around the room observing the fact that they had a very limited amount of space. He wasn't sure why he went to her bedroom. They had more room in the common area. Elena stands directly in front of him and he looks at her and swallows.

"What's...everything." He says softly trying to find his voice.

"Everything is the fact that I want to be with you more than I want anything else in my life right now. And I know that the timing is terrible but I love you and I think that you might love me too and I think that if you were still in love with Andie like you should be you wouldn't be here and you wouldn't be fighting whatever feelings you have for me. I think that we met for a reason and I know you don't want to hurt either of us but I am asking you right now to think about us. Think about what you really want and what you really feel, how you feel right now with me standing here in front of you and take a chance on it. I'm asking you to choose me. Choose me, Damon."

"I-I thought you didn't want me. I thought you wanted me to be with Andie." Damon says. He clears his throat.

"Are you fucking kidding?" Elena asks. Damon laughs not able to control himself. He never heard her curse before. Elena shakes her head. She never wanted to curse in front of him and seem like less of a lady but she felt like it was an appropriate time. "No, I don't want you to be with Andie. I want you to be with me. But how do you say that? How do I say that to you without looking like a homewrecker? Without being completely selfish? And how do I sit around being your friend knowing that I want to be the one cuddling with you at night, listening to your heartbeat through your chest, running my fingers through your hair, kissing you, hugging you, touching you...everything? That's no way to be. That's no way to live."

"Jesus Christ..." Damon says and lets out a deep sigh. These girls were going to be the death of him. He folds him arms across his chest. Elena stands next to him and leans back on her bed supporting her weight with her hands.

"I love Andie." Damon says looking down at his shoes. "She's amazing. She has been amazing to me." Elena bites her lip nodding her head.

"I know." She says.

"But if I said that my feelings for her comes anywhere near how I feel when I am around you, not even when we first got together, I'd be lying." Elena looks at him.

"How do you feel?" She asks.

"Alive." Damon says. Elena feels tears well up in her eyes. "I feel like...I'm at home. Like this overwhelming sense of calm and peacefulness. Like this is exactly where i am supposed to be forever right next to you. You are the first person I want to call when I have good news and the first person I want to call when I'm having a bad day and need to be cheered up. You make me laugh. You listen to me. You share the same hopes and dreams. You make me feel like I can...fly. And to add more fuel to the fire you are absolutely breathtaking."

"Even with my dorky glasses?" Elena asks tears falling softly down her cheeks. Damon turns his body around so he is facing her. Elena looks down trying to hide her tears. Damon lifts her head up by her chin and strokes one handle of her glasses.

"Especially with your glasses." He says softly and connects his forehead to hers.

"I'm fighting, Damon." Elena says. "I'm fighting for you. I know i shouldn't. I know it isn't right. But I am fighting anyway because now that i've met you. Now that i know that you exist...I just can't live without you. I don't think I can live without you, Damon. Choose me, Damon. Choose. Me." Damon closes his eyes shaking his head at her words not believing that anyone could ever say these things to him with such honesty and conviction. And before he can stop himself he is running his hands across her stomach and pulling her into him, running his fingers up her back and then through her hair and finally kissing her. Kissing her like she's never been kissed in her life.

"God, Elena. Its you. Its you. I choose you." He says breathlessly and Elena doesn't care about anything at this moment except his hands running up her shirt carassing her back and his lips attacking hers with such passion that it takes her breath away and the planes of his chest as she strokes it and his stomach and then his back and his lips on her neck and her shoulders and across her collar bone and then back up to her jaw and then back to her collar bone again. All she cares about is the fact that she wants him so badly it hurts. She'll surely die. And that he feels the same way. Damon makes his way back up to her neck again and stops there his face in her hair.

"Elena..." He says.

"Hm?" Elena says breathlessly.

"I need to say something but I want you to walk to the other side of the room, ok? Because if you don't stop touching me I won't be able to think let alone talk." Elena nods her head. She unwraps herself from him slowly grinning as his hands seem to have a jaws of life grip on her hips. She walks to the door of her bedroom.

"Better?" She asks. Damon nods.

"I have to go talk to Andie. I have to tell her right now that I don't want to be with her because I can't spend another moment not kissing you. I can't spend another moment not with you. And it isn't fair to her." He says. Elena nods.

"Ok." She says completely agreeing.

"Ok." Damon says. He grabs his coat from the desk chair and walks up to her.

"Promise you will be back?" Elena says.

"I promise I will be right back." He says. Elena nods.

"Ok." She says softly and smiles. Damon kisses her and before she can distract him again he leaves her room and the apartment with Elena breathless and eager for his return.


End file.
